Acidification Kinetics, Culture Viability, Physicochemical and Antioxidant Characteristics of Yogurt Fortified with Apple Pulp
Dimitra Dimitrellou | Panagiotis Kandylis
Nowadays, there is interest in yogurts and fermented milks with incorporated fruits to fulfill the growing demand for healthier, nutritional, and functional foods. In the present study, the potential of apple pulp incorporation into yogurts was evaluated. Apple pulps from five cultivars (Gala, Starking, Jonagold, Golden, and Granny Smith) were characterized for their antioxidant activity and total phenolic content, with Granny Smith pulp selected for further application due to its superior functional properties. Apple pulp (0–15% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) significantly influenced the acidification kinetics by lowering the initial pH and reducing fermentation time. The viability of yogurt starters remained above 10<sup>8</sup> CFU/g throughout 28 days, fulfilling FAO/WHO criteria, although in yogurts with apple pulp, it was found to significantly decrease in a concentration-dependent manner compared to the control. Quality analyses revealed that apple pulp improved water-holding capacity and reduced syneresis. The antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of yogurts increased proportionally with apple pulp concentration, showing strong positive correlations. Yogurts containing 10–15% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i> apple pulp exhibited the most pronounced functional enhancements. These findings suggest that apple pulp serves as a promising sustainable natural ingredient for producing functional yogurts with improved health-promoting properties due to the antioxidant potential of apple-derived phenolics.
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