Inulin and plant-derived fibers improve rheology, texture, melting resistance, and sensory acceptability of reduced-fat buffalo milk ice cream

Dietary fibers are recognized for their functional properties, including water retention, viscosity enhancement, fat replacement, and prebiotic effects. These qualities make them promising ingredients for improving the quality and nutritional value of dairy products, such as ice creams. In response to growing consumer demand for healthier frozen desserts, this study investigated the effects of incorporating different 2 % dietary fibers (inulin, lemon fiber, apple fiber, and pea fiber) into reduced-fat buffalo milk ice cream. The ice cream samples were analyzed for chemical composition, physical properties, color attributes, rheological behavior, and sensory characteristics. The addition of fiber significantly influenced titratable acidity (0.23-0.34 %), pH (6.67-6.85), and protein content (4.55-5.89 %) (p < 0.05). The overrun decreased by 19 % for lemon, 20 % for pea, and 35 % for apple, while hardness increased by 227 %, 210 %, and 110 %, respectively, indicating improved structural integrity. Notably, lemon fiber extended the first drip time to 116.91 min, compared to 39.10 min in the control. Apple fiber induced a pronounced darkening, with the L* value — representing the lightness parameter of the CIELAB color space — decreasing from 88.37 to 77.27, whereas inulin preserved a brightness level comparable to that of the control. All fiber-enriched samples exhibited non-Newtonian, shear-thinning flow behavior. The consistency coefficient (k) increased from 54.61 Pa sⁿ (pascal-seconds to the power n) in the control to 2038 Pa sⁿ with pea fiber. Sensory evaluations revealed that samples containing inulin achieved acceptability scores comparable to the control, whereas apple fiber reduced consumer preference. Overall, the incorporation of dietary fiber improved the melting resistance, textural characteristics, and nutritional profile of reduced-fat buffalo milk ice cream, with inulin emerging as the most favorable option in terms of sensory acceptance and product quality.

Keywords:
buffalo milk; dietary fibers; functional food; ice cream; inulin