Assessment of physicochemical, rheological and sensory properties of confectionery cream sweetened with liquid date sugar and stevia

Nowadays, the tendency to use of the natural and low-calorie foods is increasing. Dates, due to high levels of natural sugar and stevia as a sweetener (200-250 times sweeter than sugar) with zero-calories, could be considered as a substitute for sugar (sucrose). In this study, the use of date syrup with different ratios (25, 50, 75, and 100%) and stevia with 100% rastio as a sweetener in formulation of confectionery cream containing 32% fat, has been studied. The results reveal that in the most of samples substitution of date syrup and stevia with sugar lead significant differences (p< 0.05) in the physicochemical parameters such as pH, acidity, fat, dry matter, overrun, synersis, protein and rheological aspects such as strength and viscosity between control sample and among samples. Significant increase in fat, overrun, synersis and protein and significant decrease in dry matter and strength were observed in Samples containing 100%stevia when compared to the control(confectionery cream containing 20% sucrose) and other treatments. The results of the sensory evaluation and general acceptance show that Sample which contained 100% of sugar and (75%-25%) of suger and date-suger, had the highest ranking in sensory evaluation. The results of the sensory evaluation and general acceptance show that Sample which contained 100% date sugar and 100% stevia instead of suger gained lower desirability and acceptability than the control sample.