A ‘Mediterranean ice-cream’: Sensory and nutritional aspects of replacing milk cream with extra virgin olive oil

Abstract

In this study, we explored the sensory and nutritional properties of innovative ice-creams designed totally replacing cow’s milk cream with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).Milk and chocolate flavored ice-creams containing 14.1% and 10.2% milk cream or 5.1% and 3.6% of EVOO were produced.In a triangle test, only the milk-flavored ice-cream with EVOO was distinguished from its traditional counterpart whereas in a quantitative descriptive sensory analysis EVOO ice-creams showed an increased intensity of the descriptor “grassy” that was supported by the greater concentrations of specific volatile organic compounds coming from EVOO, compared to traditional ice-creams. Moreover, EVOO ice-creams contained less saturated fatty acids and more mono- and poly- unsaturated fatty acids along an increased concentration of bioaccessible polyphenols and antioxidant activity measured after an in vitro digestion, which was more pronounced in milk-flavored sample. Data showed that EVOO can be a functional fat replacer in ice-cream recipes to produce healthier products.

Keywords

• Functional foods
• Gelato
• Virgin olive oil
• Antioxidant capacity
• Polyphenols
• Bioaccessibility