Study of the physico-chemical and functional properties of carob syrup.

Abstract

The carob tree has several advantages for all its components, especially for its fruits (carob pods). Several scientific studies have shown that the carob fruit is rich in nutrients and phytochemicals, which explains its use as a raw material for the manufacturing of various products, including carob syrup. Some studies have been carried out on the physicochemical characteristics of this product, but to our knowledge, there are no scientific studies yet regarding its functional properties and its potential use in the food industry. So, this work clearly shows that carob syrup has interesting functional properties. It exhibits an emulsifying capacity (~ 80-87%) comparable to that of soy lecithin (~ 100%), an emulsifier widely used in food formulations. This result reveals that carob syrup can be used as a natural food emulsifier for the formation and stability of emulsions.