Exploring the Possibility of Replacing Date Powder with Sugar in Pistachio Butter Formulation

The delicacy, easy digestion, and nutritional value (e.g., high calories, vitamins, and minerals) are some characteristics that distinguish pistachios from other tree nuts. This research explores the replacement of the date powder of Ghasab cultivar with sugar in the formula of pistachio butter.

The date powder was substituted by 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% sugar in the formulation of pistachio butter. In this field, a factorial experiment was used in a completely randomized design. Also, the time of mixing pistachio paste and sugar or date powder (3, 5, 7, and 9 h) in a ball mill was investigated. The pistachio butter formulas were stored at 20°C for 6 months. During storage, physicochemical tests (oil separation, peroxide value, and free fatty acid content) and sensory evaluation (in terms of taste, texture, and color) were carried out.

The more the mixing time, the better the product was obtained. However, no significant difference (P≤ 0.05) was observed between mixing times of the raw materials (3, 5, 7, and 9 h). The free fatty acid amount and peroxide value were in the range of 0.4- 0.8% and 4.7 - 4.9 mEq.kg, respectively. The pistachio butter with 100% date powder showed a lower percentage of separated oil than that with 25% date powder or without.

The final formula of pistachio butter containing 10% of the date powder of the Ghasab cultivar was selected as the best treatment.