Quality characteristics of vegan ice cream using Aquasoya powder upcycled from soybean cooking water

Abstract

Aquasoya (AS) powder, a novel vegan ingredient, was used in combination to formulate ice cream products. The ice cream emulsions, containing varying total solid content (TSC) (31%, 33%, 35%, 37%, and 39% w/w) underwent thorough homogenization and were subsequently frozen for 40-60 minutes. This study investigated a range of parameters, including pH, emulsion properties, Brix, color, viscosity, overrun, degree of melting, texture profile analysis (TPA), and sensory evaluations. The results indicated that the pH of each AS (31%, 33%, 35%, 37%, 39%) ice cream emulsion sample was 5.70-5.81, with no significant variance in AS content. Notably, the addition of 39% AS led to higher Brix and viscosity scores. In addition, the highest overrun in AS ice cream was observed in the sample containing 39% TSC. In contrast, the 31%, 33%, and 35% samples exhibited lower viscosities. However, this, the 37% and 39% samples displayed higher viscosities, leading to a longer-lasting appearance. Regarding sensory evaluation, the 39% sample received the highest ratings for overall taste intensity, color, smell, bean smell, flavor, taste, astringency, and bitterness. However, it scored the lowest for sweetness, softness, and degree of melting. Generally, a higher AS content corresponds to stronger overall characteristics. Additionally, acceptance evaluations showed that, tasters tended to favor ice cream with lower AS content. Bean aroma and flavor received 5-points across all samples. In conclusion, these findings suggest that AS ice cream can be successfully formulated using vegan ingredients, offering enhanced nutritional and sensory attributes while serving as an effective emulsifier.