Biochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Yogurt Supplemented with Paprika Juice of Different Colors

Paprika is known to contain polyphenolic compounds that have good antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to investigate the benefits of adding paprika juice of different colors to yogurt and to determine how paprika affects the quality characteristics of yogurt. Stirred yogurt samples supplemented with different levels of red, orange, or yellow paprika juice were inoculated with mixes of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus. Paprika addition decreased the pH but increased titratable acidity, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts, total polyphenol content (TPC), levels of vitamin A and C, and antioxidant activity. Proteolysis and viscosity of paprika-containing yogurts were significantly higher than those of the control yogurt without paprika juice (p