Physicochemical, Antioxidant Characteristics and Sensory Evaluation of Functional Pro-Biogenic Ice Cream

Abstract

Pro-biogenic is a recent terminology widely used for products that combine biogenic materials and probiotics which has made progressive improvement in a new era of research on functional foods. This study aimed to develop functional ice cream with Bacillus coagulans and propolis extract (PE) as a biogenic part to develop ice cream's physiochemical and antioxidant characteristics. Five probiotic ice cream samples were prepared using different levels of PE powder (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8% w/w), and the physicochemical, total phenol content (TPC), antioxidant and sensory properties, and probiotic survival of the samples were examined. The study found that PE levels did not significantly impact fat, protein, carbohydrate, and ash content, overrun, melting rate, and adhesiveness of probiotic ice cream, but increased dry matter, apparent viscosity, and hardness. Adding PE to freeze-storage samples significantly (p < 0.05) reduced pH and improved TPC and antioxidant activity. The prepared ice cream containing probiotic bacteria and PE extracts, despite their darker and yellower color, were acceptable based on sensory evaluation. Furthermore, the survival of probiotic bacteria in the ice cream, with different levels of PE appeared to be in acceptable limits (10⁷ CFU/g). The findings of the research indicated that the pro-biogenic ice cream has good functionality and incorporating a PE aside probiotic could improve physiochemical and antioxidant characteristics which can be used as a value-added ingredient in the formulation of functional pro-biogenic ice creams.

Keywords: antioxidant activity; functional ice cream; probiotic; propolis; pro‐biogenic.

FIGURE 1

Survival of probiotic bacteria (log CFU/g) in ice cream samples enriched with different levels of propolis extract (PE). Control: Samples without PE or (0% PE), 0.2% PE: Samples containing 0.2 w/w PE, 0.4% PE: Samples containing 0.4 w/w PE, 0.6% PE: Samples containing 0.6 w/w PE, and 0.8% PE: Samples containing 0.8 w/w PE.

FIGURE 2

(A) TPC (mg GAE/g) and (B) DPPH radical scavenging (%) of probiotic ice cream samples enriched with different levels of propolis extract (PE). Bars represent mean (n = 3) ± SD of triplicate. Large and small different letters on the bars indicate significant difference at 5% level of probability among times and samples TPC: Total phenolic compounds, control: Samples without propolis extract (PE) or (0% PE), 0.2% PE: Samples containing 0.2 w/w PE, 0.4% PE: Samples containing 0.4 w/w PE, 0.6% PE: Samples containing 0.6 w/w PE, and 0.8% PE: Samples containing 0.8 w/w PE.

FIGURE 3

Sensory properties of probiotic ice cream samples enriched with different levels of propolis extract (PE). Control: Samples without PE or (0% PE), 0.2% PE: Samples containing 0.2 w/w PE, 0.4% PE: Samples containing 0.4 w/w PE, 0.6% PE: Samples containing 0.6 w/w PE, and 0.8% PE: Samples containing 0.8 w/w PE.