Impact of high-pressure homogenization on the quality of reduced-fat coconut ice cream
High pressure homogenization, coconut ice cream, low fat, physical properties, sensory analysis, innovation.
The objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of high-pressure homogenization on the quality of low-fat coconut ice cream as a strategy to optimize product quality. The research aims to develop a coconut ice cream with reduced fat content and good sensory characteristics. As strategies, fat will be partially replaced by solid green coconut albumen and high-pressure homogenization (HPH) will be used to enhance product properties. The HPH process, which aims to stabilize emulsions and standardize the size of fat globules, will be evaluated at different pressures, including conventional homogenization pressure. The response variables analyzed will be the melt test, overrun, and sensory acceptance. The optimized ice cream formulation will be characterized according to its chemical, physical, sensory, nutritional, and microbiological characteristics during a period of 90 days of frozen storage. The resulting ice cream is expected to be well accepted by consumers, in addition to being microbiologically safe, contributing to innovation in the food industry.