Development and characterization of a novel probiotic ice cream fortified with Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.): Physicochemical, textural, and probiotic viability properties

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a novel, value-added functional ice cream by synergistically combining the bioactive potential of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.; BT) with probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079. Ice cream formulations were prepared with varying BT concentrations (0%, 6%, and 12%) and analyzed for physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties during a 30-day storage period. The incorporation of 12% BT significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity (reaching 31.35 ± 1.38 µM TEAC/mg) and increased the overrun (17.9%), likely due to the fruit's acidic nature promoting foam formation. While fruit addition led to a decrease in pH and fat content, it dramatically increased hardness (61233.80 g in the 12% BT group) due to high fiber and pectin content. Crucially, BT showed a prebiotic-like effect, maintaining probiotic viability above the functional threshold (>7 log CFU g -1) throughout storage. Sensory analysis revealed that 12% BT effectively masked the acidic off-flavors of fermentation, receiving the highest overall acceptability scores. These results demonstrate that BT is a potent structural and functional modifier, offering a sustainable approach to valorizing underutilized wild fruits in the production of health-promoting dairy products.

Keywords

• Prunus spinosa L.
• blackthorn
• probiotic ice cream
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• functional food

Project Number

1919B012413644

Çakal Eriği (Prunus spinosa L.) ile Zenginleştirilmiş Probiyotik Dondurmanın Geliştirilmesi ve Karakterizasyonu: Fizikokimyasal, Tekstürel ve Probiyotik Canlılık Özellikleri

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, çakal eriğinin (Prunus spinosa L.; ÇE) biyoaktif potansiyeli ile probiyotik Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079'un sinerjik etkisinden yararlanılarak yeni ve katma değeri yüksek bir fonksiyonel dondurma geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Farklı oranlarda ÇE (%0, %6 ve %12) içeren dondurma formülasyonları üretilmiş; 30 günlük depolama süresi boyunca fizikokimyasal, fonksiyonel ve duyusal özellikleri analiz edilmiştir. %12 oranında ÇE ilavesi, dondurmanın antioksidan aktivitesini önemli ölçüde artırarak 31.35 ± 1.38 µM TEAC/mg değerine ulaştırmış ve meyvenin asidik yapısının köpük oluşumunu desteklemesiyle hacim artışını (%17.9) pozitif yönde etkilemiştir. Meyve ilavesi pH ve yağ içeriğinde düşüşe neden olurken; yüksek lif ve pektin içeriği sayesinde sertlik değerini belirgin şekilde artırmıştır. En önemlisi, çakal eriği prebiyotik benzeri bir etki göstererek probiyotik canlılığının depolama süresince fonksiyonel eşik olan >7 log kob/g seviyesinin üzerinde kalmasını sağlamıştır. Duyusal analizler, %12 ÇE ilavesinin fermantasyondan kaynaklanan asidik tatları başarıyla maskelediğini ve en yüksek genel kabul edilebilirlik puanlarını aldığını göstermiştir. Bu sonuçlar, çakal eriğinin hem yapısal hem de fonksiyonel bir bileşen olarak, az kullanılan yabani meyvelerin sağlıklı süt ürünleri üretiminde değerlendirilmesi için sürdürülebilir bir yaklaşım sunduğunu kanıtlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Prunus spinosa L.
• çakal eriği
• probiyotik dondurma
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• fonksiyonel gıda

Project Number

1919B012413644

References

1. Mohammed NK, Badrul Khair MF, Ahmad NH, Meor Hussin AS. Ice cream as functional food: A review of health‐promoting ingredients in the frozen dairy products. J. Food Process Eng. 2022; 45.
2. Haghani S, Hadidi M, Pouramin S, Adinepour F, Hasiri Z, Moreno A, et al. Application of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas l.) peel in probiotic ice cream: Functionality and viability during storage. Antioxidants. 2021;10.
3. Kavaz Yuksel A. The effects of blackthorn (Prunus Spinosa L.) addition on certain quality characteristics of ice cream. J Food Qual. 2015; 38:413–21.
4. Bei MF, Apahidean AI, Budău R, Rosan CA, Popovici R, Memete AR, et al. An Overview of the Phytochemical Composition of Different Organs of Prunus spinosa L., Their Health Benefits and Application in Food Industry. Horticulturae. 2024.
5. Ürkek B, Şengül M, Akgül Hİ, Kotan TE. Antioxidant activity, physiochemical and sensory characteristics of ice cream incorporated with sloe berry (Prunus spinosa L.). Int. J. Food Eng. 2019;15.
6. Damar I, Yilmaz E. Ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds in blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.): characterization, antioxidant activity and optimization by response surface methodology. J. Food Meas. Charact. 2023; 17:1467–79.
7. Bei M, Bara C, Jude E, Bara L, Purcărea C, Roșan C. Analyis of the nutritional profıle and of the functıonal degree of the yogurt wıth blackthorns fruıts (Prunus spinosa). Anim. Sci. Food Technol. 2022.
8. Negrean OR, Farcas AC, Pop OL, Socaci SA. Blackthorn—A valuable source of phenolic antioxidants with potential health benefits. Molecules. 2023.

9. Şentürk G, Akın N, Konak Göktepe Ç, Denktaş B. The effects of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) and jujube fruit (Ziziphus jujube) on physicochemical, functional, and sensorial properties, and probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079) viability of probiotic ice cream. Food Sci Nutr. 2024; 12:2747–59.
10. Sarkar S. Probiotic ice cream as a functional food- a review. Nutr. Food Sci. 2024.
11. Acu M, Kinik O, Yerlikaya O. Probiotic viability, viscosity, hardness properties and sensorial quality of synbiotic ice creams produced from goat’s milk. Food Sci. Technol (Brazil). 2021; 41:167–73.
12. Pimentel TC, de Oliveira LIG, de Souza RC, Magnani M. Probiotic ice cream: A literature overview of the technological and sensory aspects and health properties. Int. J. Dairy Technol. 2022.
13. Najgebauer-Lejko D, Liszka K, Tabaszewska M, Domagała J. Probiotic yoghurts with sea buckthorn, elderberry, and sloe fruit purees. Molecules. 2021;26.
14. Doğan S, Adıgüzel GÇ. Isolation identification and molecular characterization of lactic acid bacteria from raw milk samples collected from Erzurum region. Türk Doğa ve Fen Dergisi. 2024; 13(1), 111-117.
15. Akalın AS, Karagözlü C, Ünal G. Rheological properties of reduced-fat and low-fat ice cream containing whey protein isolate and inulin. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 2008;227.
16. Öztürk Hİ, Demirci T, Akın N. Production of functional probiotic ice creams with white and dark blue fruits of Myrtus communis: The comparison of the prebiotic potentials on Lactobacillus casei 431 and functional characteristics. LWT. 2018; 90:339–45.
17. Sakr SS, Mohamed SHS, Ali AA, Ahmed WE, Algheshairy RM, Almujaydil MS, et al. Nutritional, physicochemical, microstructural, rheological, and organoleptical characteristics of ice cream incorporating Adansonia digitata pulp flour. Foods. 2023;12.
18. Kurt A, Atalar I. Effects of quince seed on the rheological, structural and sensory characteristics of ice cream. Food Hydrocoll. 2018;82.
19. Goktas H. Enrichment of antioxidant activity of ice cream samples with addition of rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) pulp and production of functional probiotic ice cream with using L. rhamnosus. Int J Food Sci Technol. 2023; 58:5962–71.
20. Darukaradhya J, Phillips M, Kailasapathy K. Selective enumeration of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium spp., starter lactic acid bacteria and non-starter lactic acid bacteria from Cheddar cheese. Int Dairy J. 2006;16.
21. Tarakçı Z, Durak M. Investigation of the chemical, textural and sensory properties of some fruit puree added ice cream. J Nutr Fast Health. 2020; 8:294–301.
22. Moolwong J, Klinthong W, Chuacharoen T. Physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptability of ice cream ıncorporated with avocado (persea americana mill.) pulp. Pol J Food Nutr Sci. 2023; 73:289–96.
23. Marakoǧlu T, Arslan D, Özcan M, Haciseferoǧullari H. Proximate composition and technological properties of fresh blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L. subsp dasyphylla (Schur.)) fruits. J Food Eng. 2005;68.
24. Sagdic O, Ozturk I, Cankurt H, Tornuk F. Interaction between some phenolic compounds and probiotic bacterium in functional ice cream production. Food Bioproc Tech. 2012; 5:2964–71.
25. Soukoulis C, Fisk ID, Bohn T. Ice cream as a vehicle for incorporating health-promoting ingredients: Conceptualization and overview of quality and storage stability. Compr. Rev. Food Sci. Food Saf. 2014. p. 627–55.
26. Marčetić M, Samardžić S, Ilić T, Božić DD, Vidović B. Phenolic composition, antioxidant, anti-enzymatic, antimicrobial and prebiotic properties of Prunus spinosa L. fruits. Foods. 2022;11.
27. Drăghici-Popa AM, Boscornea AC, Brezoiu AM, Tomas Ștefan T, Pârvulescu OC, Stan R. Effects of extraction process factors on the composition and antioxidant activity of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) fruit extracts. Antioxidants. 2023; 12.
28. María Ruiz-Rodríguez B, De Ancos B, Sánchez-Moreno C, Fernández-Ruiz V, De Cortes Sánchez-Mata M, Cámara M, et al. Les fruits du prunellier sauvage (Prunus spinosa L.) et delâaubãpine (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) sont de prãcieuses sourcesdâantioxydants. Fruits. 2014; 69:61–73.
29. Mehditabar H, Razavi SMA, Javidi F. Influence of pumpkin puree and guar gum on the bioactive, rheological, thermal and sensory properties of ice cream. Int J Dairy Technol. 2020; 73:447–58.
30. Cruz AG, Antunes AEC, Sousa ALOP, Faria JAF, Saad SMI. Ice-cream as a probiotic food carrier. Food Res. Int. 2009.
31. Çam G, Akın N, Konak Göktepe Ç, Demirci T. Pea (Pisum sativum L.) pod powder as a potential enhancer of probiotic Enterococcus faecium M74 in ice cream and its physicochemical, structural, and sensory effects. J Sci Food Agric. 2023; 103:3184–93.