Physiochemical and Sensory Perspectives in Obtaining Probiotic Yoghurt With White Mulberries (Morus alba) and Black Mulberries (Morus nigra)

Abstract

Yoghurt is a food that supplies the body with essential nutrients and has benefits for human health. Plant products have attracted considerable interest in product development due to the secondary metabolites they contain. The aim of the present research is to develop a new dairy product with potential functional properties. The decision was taken to produce a yogurt from cow's milk, with the addition of white and black mulberry powder, which is rich in bioactive compounds. To assess the stability of the product during storage, the following parameters were determined: acidity, pH, water activity, dry matter, and syneresis. The product's acceptability was assessed by conducting a sensory evaluation. The impact of varying concentrations of fruit concentrates incorporated into the dairy product is discernible. The sensory characteristics of the yoghurt samples are found to be at their most intense on the first day of storage. The BMY2 sample obtained high scores for appearance, taste, and odor, while the WMY2 sample obtained high scores for appearance and odor. On days 8 and 16, a decline in the results obtained was observed for all samples evaluated. From a physicochemical perspective, the parameters analysed exhibited stability, thus indicating that mulberries are a promising ingredient for improving the product's quality. This study demonstrates the technological feasibility and physicochemical stability of the samples, which can be attributed to the effectiveness of mulberries in fermented dairy products. The results of the present study could act as a foundation for future research, with a view to the creation of other food products comprising additional bioactive ingredients.