Many American diets fall short of meeting nutritional¹ guidelines resulting in burgeoning²（增长迅速的） obesity³ rates and health problems across the nation. Statistics show that most Americans consume only half of the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber⁴. Now, a research team at the University of Missouri is addressing the fiber deficit⁵ by including citrus（柑橘） fiber in ground beef（绞碎的牛肉） while retaining the quality and taste of the meat. Ayca Gedikoglu, a doctoral student studying food science in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and Andrew Clarke, associate professor of food science, recently completed the first test on a citrus meatball recipe. The test consisted of three batches⁶ of meatballs, with varying percentages of the meat substituted with citrus powder, to see how much of the sweet and tangy powder could be added without adversely⁷ affecting the meatballs' texture⁸ and cooking characteristics. The test used 1 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent increments⁹.

 

Gedikoglu discovered that the citrus fiber increased the cooking yield of the meatball recipe, and that the texture and color of the meatballs remained acceptable when keeping fiber at the 1 or 5 percent levels.

 

A restaurant-sized serving of Gedikoglu's citrus meatballs, containing 2 percent citrus powder, contains approximately five grams of fiber. Traditionally, meatballs contain no fiber.

 

The health benefits of dietary fiber, mainly found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, include helping¹⁰ maintain a healthy weight, preventing or relieving constipation, and reducing the risk of diabetes¹¹ and heart disease. Soluble¹² fiber, found mainly in whole grains and some fruits, is particularly beneficial for diabetics, because fiber slows sugar absorption and improves blood sugar levels. Fiber tends to make a person feel full faster and stay full longer because it is less "energy dense," which means the product contains fewer calories.

 

Gedikoglu suggests citrus powder as a replacement¹³ for bread crumbs¹⁴ in meatball recipes. Citrus powder, made from citrus peels, can be purchased online at a relatively¹⁵ inexpensive price. Based on her initial test, Gedikoglu also thinks that adding citrus powder to some hamburger recipes would capitalize on the tangy（扑鼻的，强烈的） citrus flavor.

 

Next, Gedikoglu intends to conduct a series of taste tests. She also will study the potential antioxidant benefits of citrus powder. Citrus fruits, particularly their peels, are rich with flavonoids, a nutrient¹⁶ in plants that can help prevent diseases in humans such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

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