Foods (Feb 2024)

Effects of <i>Panax notoginseng</i> Saponins Encapsulated by Polymerized Whey Protein on the Rheological, Textural and Bitterness Characteristics of Yogurt

  • Zengjia Zhou,
  • Huiyu Xiang,
  • Jianjun Cheng,
  • Qingfeng Ban,
  • Xiaomeng Sun,
  • Mingruo Guo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030486
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
p. 486

Abstract

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Panax notoginseng saponins (PNSs) have been used as a nutritional supplement for many years, but their bitter taste limits their application in food formulations. The effects of PNS (groups B, C, and D contained 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 mg/mL of free PNS, respectively) or Panax notoginseng saponin-polymerized whey protein (PNS-PWP) nanoparticles (groups E, F, and G contained 26.68, 33.35 and 40.03 mg/mL of PNS-PWP nanoparticles, respectively) on the rheological, textural properties and bitterness of yogurt were investigated. Group G yogurt showed a shorter gelation time (23.53 min), the highest elastic modulus (7135 Pa), higher hardness (506 g), higher apparent viscosity, and the lowest syneresis (6.93%) than other groups, which indicated that the yogurt formed a stronger gel structure. The results of the electronic tongue indicated that the bitterness values of group E (−6.12), F (−6.56), and G (−6.27) yogurts were lower than those of group B (−5.12), C (−4.31), and D (−3.79), respectively, which might be attributed to PNS being encapsulated by PWP. The results indicated that PWP-encapsulated PNS could cover the bitterness of PNS and improve the quality of yogurt containing PNS.

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