Rheological properties of lactose-free dairy desserts

People suffering from lactose intolerance cannot digest milk or lactose-containing foods. Lactose-free diet is essential for them since they do not have the ability to produce lactase to breakdown milk sugar. Physical properties of lactose-free dairy desserts will most probably be different than that of lactose containing ones because of lactose hydrolysis. In this study, it was aimed to analyze the rheological and textural behaviors of different lactose-free dessert formulations containing different gum types and different waxy maize starch and sucrose concentrations. Waxy maize starch was used at concentrations of 0.032 g·mL^-1, 0.040 g·mL^-1, and 0.048 g·mL^-1 In addition to waxy maize starch, guar gum, gum arabic, or κ-carrageenan at two different concentrations (1.0% w/w and 0.5% w/w) was added. Sucrose was added at concentrations of 0.14 g·mL^-1 and 0.10 g·mL^-1 in lactose-free desserts. Power law model was found to be suitable to explain the flow behavior of desserts. The storage and loss modulus of lactose-free desserts were higher than that of lactose-containing desserts. The κ-Carrageenan was found to be the most effective gum for structure build-up.