The Quality of Plain and Flavored Greek Yogurt

Le résumé fourni par la source

Background: Despite the widespread consumption and economic significance of Greek yogurt, there are no universally recognized standards. This has resulted in variations in its nutritional composition, production methods, and labeling practices, leading to inconsistencies in quality across brands and markets. This study investigates the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of plain and flavored Greek yogurts produced in Oman to address consumer preferences and establish quality benchmarks. Methods: Physicochemical analyses were conducted to measure density, moisture, fat, protein, Ash, pH, acidity, total solids, non-fat solids, color and viscosity of plain and flavored Greek yogurts. Microbial assessments were performed to determine total viable counts, yeast and mold, E. coli, and S. aureus. While sensory evaluations were carried out to assess aroma, color, texture, flavor, acidity, sweetness, and overall acceptability. Result: Flavored yogurts exhibited lower moisture content (71.69-72.32%) compared to plain yogurt (77.87%), contributing to a creamier texture. Fat content varied by flavor, with peach and apricot yogurt containing the highest level (5.475%), while plain yogurt had the highest protein content (2.35%). Flavored variants showed increased acidity (1.037-1.110%) and higher viscosity (32,965-34,400 cP), enhancing their sensory appeal. Microbial analyses confirmed the safety of all samples, with lower total viable counts in flavored yogurts attributed to the antimicrobial properties of fruit acids. Sensory evaluations revealed that strawberry yogurt was the most preferred, scoring highest in flavor, sweetness, and overall acceptability (93.3% acceptability index). These findings underscore the importance of optimizing sensory attributes and product formulations to improve consumer satisfaction in the dairy industry.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.