Öz
To extend the shelf life of yogurt and to use it in different formulations, a drying process is performed. Among the drying processes, lyophilization comes to the forefront in terms of preserving the properties of dried products at a high level. In this study, the effect of different lyophilization pressures (0.5 and 1.0 mbar) on the physicochemical properties of reconstituted ayran samples (0.5A and 1.0A) was investigated during 28 days of cold storage. Besides, sensory analyses of the reconstituted ayran samples were also performed. The outcomes were compared with the ayran produced directly (control). According to the results, serum separation increased more in reconstituted samples, however, syneresis declined with decreasing lyophilization pressure. The highest viscosity was determined in the control sample (6.97 mPa.s), followed by 0.5A (5.56 mPa.s) and 1.0A (4.66 mPa.s), respectively. Consequently, the increased lyophilization pressure negatively affected the physicochemical and sensorial properties of reconstituted ayran.