Whey, commercial stabilizers, and cornstarch in the production of artisanal ice cream

Abstract

Whey is a by-product of cheese and other dairy products production, and it can cause environmental pollution when improperly disposed of. Therefore, its use in the production of everyday consumer products such as ice cream presents an alternative to reduce its environmental impact. The objective of this research was to determine the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of ice creams made from three whey-based formulations, which include the use of commercial stabilizers and cornstarch. The research was conducted in the laboratories of the Universidad Nacional Agraria in Managua, Nicaragua. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments (formulations) was used. The evaluated variables included pH, fat (%), protein (%), total solids (%), non-fat solids (%), and ash (%), based on the bromatological analysis according to the procedures of the Bromatology Laboratory of the Dirección de Ciencia Animal at the Universidad Nacional Agraria. Color, flavor, odor, and texture were evaluated using a hedonic scale, with the participation of an untrained panel of 53 individuals. The data on color, flavor, odor, and texture (organoleptic assessment) were adjusted using an ordinal cumulative logit model, employing the ordinal package in the R statistical software. In general, the chemical characteristics are considered appropriate for this type of ice cream, and the organoleptic perception by the untrained panel indicates that most participants rated all three formulations between the hedonic scores of 'moderately like' and 'like very much,' with a strong preference, especially for the attributes of color and texture in the ice creams, which, in addition to whey, include cornstarch in the formulation.