The objective of the current study was to create a frozen dessert with reduced fat and sugar content, using plant-based ingredients and to evaluate its physical, rheological and nutritional properties. The dessert formulations were developed using plant-based ingredients such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, and beetroot, combined with date sugar, corn starch and skimmed milk powder. Chemical analysis showed that the sweet potato (SP) sample had the highest energy value due to its carbohydrate and fat content, while the carrot (CR) sample had the lowest. Rheology tests revealed that beetroot-based (BR) samples exhibited the highest viscosity, likely due to the high dietary fibre content in beetroots, while the CR sample was the most fluid, attributed to its lower solids content. The study showed that air bubble size influenced texture and melt behaviour. The overrun, a measure of air incorporation, was highest in the BR sample, contributing to a lighter texture. The hardness of the desserts was influenced by solid content and ingredient composition, with the CR sample being the hardest. Melting rate analysis revealed that all samples melted slowly, with the SP, SPP (sweet potato + potato), and BR samples melting uniformly over time. Overall, the study demonstrated that plant-based ingredients could effectively replace traditional high-fat animal-based ingredients, yielding frozen desserts with favourable nutritional profiles, acceptable rheological properties, and desirable physical characteristics.

Glycerol is a versatile substance used in food, beverages, cosmetics, and technical applications. It can be derived from fats and oils through 4 different reactions, including: transesterification, directed hydrogenation, hydrolysis, and saponification. Glycerol derived from fat hydrolysis yields superior quality and quantity when compared to saponification. The resulting glycerol water is purified and concentrated through evaporation to yield crude glycerol with a concentration of 86–88%. Two distinct methods are recognized for further improving quality of glycerol: distillation, and the purification of glycerol water through the ion exchange process followed by evaporation. The goal of this research was to improve the purification process of glycerol, for obtaining premium-quality glycerol without the need for distillation, through the utilization of cations. Several combinations of activated carbon and clay were tested, and it was determined that a combination of 70:30 yielded the optimal results, considering the amount of glycerol and ash content. Technological parameters such as reaction durations, pH, and process temperatures were investigated, and it was discovered that the appropriate combination was a process duration of more than 40 minutes, a pH value of 2, and a temperature of 70 °C. Besides, it was also determined that the concentration and quality of glycerol derived from cottonseed oil can be enhanced through distillation or purification with cationite. Moreover, different concentrations of glycerol on the elaboration of gingerbread were tested, and the conclusion is that adding 5% of the resulting glycerol to the gingerbread recipe could ensure better preservation of its quality during its shelf life.