Arbutus unedo fruit syrup as a fortifying agent: effect on physicochemical, microbiological, rheological, sensory and antioxidant properties of yoghurt

Ismahen Essaidi; Moncef Chouaibi; Hayet Haj Koubaier; Saoussen Bouacida; Ahmed Snoussi; Yosra Abassi; Nabiha Bouzouita

doi:10.1007/s13197-023-05801-4

Arbutus unedo fruit syrup as a fortifying agent: effect on physicochemical, microbiological, rheological, sensory and antioxidant properties of yoghurt

J Food Sci Technol. 2023 Nov;60(11):2835-2845. doi: 10.1007/s13197-023-05801-4. Epub 2023 Aug 7.

Authors

Ismahen Essaidi¹, Moncef Chouaibi², Hayet Haj Koubaier³, Saoussen Bouacida³, Ahmed Snoussi³, Yosra Abassi³, Nabiha Bouzouita³

Affiliations

¹ Research Laboratory Agrobiodiversity and Ecotoxicology, High Agronomic Institute of Chott Meriam, University of Sousse, B.P 47, 4042 Chott Meriam, Tunisia.
² Food Engineering and Basic Science Department, Higher School of Food Industries, University of Carthage, 58, Alain Savary Street, 1003 Elkhadhra City, Tunisia.
³ Food Technology Department, Higher School of Food Industries, University of Carthage, 58, Alain Savary Street, 1003 Elkhadhra City, Tunisia.

PMID: 37711580
PMCID: PMC10497488 (available on 2024-11-01)
DOI: 10.1007/s13197-023-05801-4

Abstract

This study aims to assess the antioxidant and the antibacterial activities of Arbutus unedo fruits and to valorize its syrup by the incorporation in bi-layer yoghurt. The antioxidant activity of the ethanol 80% fruits and syrup extracts was evaluated by three methods namely DPPH^·, ABTS^·+ and FRAP. The antibacterial activity was tested against seven pathogenic bacteria using agar well diffusion method. The yoghurt was prepared using 10 and 20% layers of A. unedo syrup, physicochemical, rheological, microbiological and sensorial characteristics and the antioxidant activity were investigated during cold storage. The results revealed that the heat treatment decreased the phenolic compounds contents and the antioxidant activity in the syrup extract. Both fruits and syrup extracts demonstrated an antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria. The highest inhibition diameter (40 mm) was recorded for Aeromonas hydrophila at 100 mg/mL of fruit echtanolic extract. The prepared bi-layer yoghurts showed stability for the physicochemical and microbiological properties during storage. The rheological properties revealed that the A. unedo syrup increases the yoghurt consistency (k). The antioxidant activity of the yoghurt indicated that fermentation improved the radical scavenging power of the A. unedo syrup at the beginning and the activity decreased slowly during storage.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05801-4.

Keywords: Arbutus unedo; Bioactive compounds; Fruit; Functional yoghurt; Syrup.

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