Effect of Hawthorn Powder on Physical, Functional, and Sensory Characteristics of Set-Type Yogurt

Plant powders have exhibited great potential to enhance the antioxidant activity of yogurt. This study aims to evaluate the effects of hawthorn powder (1.0-3.0%, w/w) addition on the antioxidant activity and physical properties of set-type yogurt. The results demonstrated that yogurt containing 1-2% hawthorn powder exhibited improvements in quality, water-holding capacity, and texture. Notably, the antioxidant activities, including the DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, and Fe²⁺ chelating activity, reached 68.2 ± 4.9%, 81.6 ± 0.5%, and 72.2 ± 2.0%, respectively, and were higher than those of ordinary yogurt. Microstructural observation revealed that appropriate hawthorn powder concentration promoted homogeneous protein network formation, contributing to improved texture stability. In conclusion, this research is of interest to the development of functional dairy products.