Yogurt ice cream sweetened with sucrose, stevia and honey: Some quality and thermal properties

This study investigated the effects of some sweeteners (sucrose, honey and stevia) on the quality and thermal properties of plain (P) and cocoa (C) yogurt ice cream. For this purpose, six different yogurt ice cream samples were prepared with sucrose (control: AP, AC), with honey (BP, BC) and with stevia (CP, CC). The highest values of protein, ash, fat, lactose ratios and lightness (L*) were measured in samples with stevia. The addition of honey increased the b* values. The addition of cocoa increased pH and viscosity, but decreased overrun ratios. Although the addition of stevia reduced the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts, in all samples the LAB count was above 6 log CFU/g during storage. Results of the thermal and melting analysis showed that the use of stevia had a positive effect on the ice cream stability by increasing the freezing and melting point peak temperatures (Tf, Tm), the enthalpy (ΔHf, ΔHm), and the initial ice crystal melting temperatures (T’m).