Manufacturing Functional Yogurt Enriched with Rhamnus Alaternus Fruit Powder and Studying Some of its Properties

Abstract

Functional yogurts enriched with plant-based bioactive compounds have emerged as promising dietary strategies to enhance human health.
Objective: This study investigated the fortification of yogurt with Rhamnus alaternus fruit powder and its impact on quality characteristics, sensory attributes, and antioxidant activity.
Methods: The current study involved preparing a powder from the fruit of the R. alternus plant, which underwent chemical and antioxidant analysis. was chemically analyzed including protein, fat, ash, moisture and fibers, and the percentage of minerals Ca, Fe, Mg and Pb in the powder was estimated using GC-Mass device. The antioxidant activity of R. alternus powder was tested against (DPPH). Fresh buffalo milk was used to prepare yogurt, were fortified with the R. alternus powder, sensory evaluation of these fortified products was then conducted.
Results: The chemical composition of R.alaternus fruit powder revealed that moisture was the highest component (28.45%), followed by fat (7.60%), crude fiber (3.98%), ash (3.95%), and protein (1.53%). The DPPH radical scavenging activity was 63.28%, indicating notable antioxidant potential. Mineral analysis showed calcium (19.35 ppm) and magnesium (10.50 ppm) as the dominant elements, while iron (0.20 ppm) and lead (0.37 ppm) were present in lower concentrations. Among the tested methods, 70% aqueous ethanol produced the highest extract yield, particularly with cold maceration (30.15 g/100 g). Sensory evaluation of yogurt supplemented with R. alternus powder demonstrated significant improvements in taste (6.40 vs. 5.30), flavor (7.30 vs. 6.64), texture (5.60 vs. 5.23), color (7.00 vs. 6.54), and overall acceptability (7.50 vs. 7.12) compared to the control (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: R. alaternus fruit powder demonstrated promising nutritional and antioxidant properties and significantly enhanced the sensory quality of fortified yogurt. These findings support its potential application as a natural functional ingredient in dairy product development.