Formulation and characterization of a functional dairy dessert containing Moringa oleifera extract and Inulin

Today, due to the importance of nutrition and the role of food on human health, attention has been paid towards the production of foods rich in functional and beneficial compounds, as well as low calorie products to reduce various diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, etc. The aim of this research was to develop a functional and low-calorie dairy dessert using long-chain inulin and Moringa oleifera extract.

Experimental: 

Moringa oleifera extract (ME) was prepared by the percolation method and used in combination with inulin in the formulation of low-calorie dairy dessert based on maltitol and sucralose as sweeteners. ME was used at 1%, 2% and 3% (w/w) levels and inulin at 5% and 7% levels. The moisture, ash, fat, protein and carbohydrate content, as well as calorie, pH, acidity, soluble solids (brix), syneresis, viscosity, color indices, antioxidant capacity and sensory characteristics (color, flavor, texture, mouth feel and overall acceptability) of the dairy dessert treatments were examined after production.

The addition of inulin and ME showed a significant effect on the chemical composition of the desserts and reduced the calories of the treatments compared to the control. Increasing the level of ME did not affect the syneresis and viscosity of the desserts, while by increasing the level of inulin from 5% to 7%, viscosity increased and syneresis decreased significantly (P<0.05). Incorporation of ME into the formulation of dairy dessert also reduced the L* and a* and increased the b* values of the samples (P<0.05). By adding ME and increasing its level from 1% to 3% in the formulation, significant improvement in the antioxidant capacity of the desserts was observed, so that the highest antioxidants capacity was evaluated in the samples containing 7% ME (37.53-37.82%). The results of sensory evaluation indicated that all treatments were acceptable, and the desserts containing lower levels of ME obtained higher flavor, color and overall acceptability scores.

Recommended applications/industries: 

The results of this research demonstrated that inulin as a prebiotic and Moringa oleifera extract as a rich source of bioactive and antioxidant compounds can be used to develop a functional low-calorie dairy dessert.