Functional Yogurt: Enhancing Color Stability, Functional Quality, and Storage Life With Malabar Spinach (Basella alba...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Food Microbiology

Background:

• Malabar spinach (Basella alba L.) fruit is rich in betalains, bioactive compounds, and antioxidants.
• There is a growing consumer demand for natural colorants in food products.
• Yogurt is a popular dairy product susceptible to spoilage and requiring appealing visual characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Malabar spinach fruit extract (MSFE) as a natural colorant in yogurt.
• To assess the impact of MSFE on yogurt's physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and microbial profile during storage.
• To determine the optimal concentration of MSFE for yogurt applications.

Main Methods:

• Yogurt samples were prepared with varying concentrations of MSFE (0, 500, 1000, 2000 μL).
• Physicochemical analyses (pH, syneresis, total soluble solids, viscosity, titratable acidity) were conducted.
• Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, total plate count, and color properties were measured over 21 days of refrigerated storage.

Main Results:

• MSFE significantly altered yogurt's physicochemical properties, increasing soluble solids, viscosity, and acidity while decreasing pH and syneresis in a dose-dependent manner.
• MSFE-treated yogurt showed enhanced total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity, with dose-dependent increases.
• MSFE improved color properties, with significant betalain content, and reduced initial bacterial load, though bacterial counts increased during storage. Betalain content showed initial decrease then regeneration.

Conclusions:

• Malabar spinach fruit extract (MSFE) is a viable natural colorant for yogurt, improving its color, nutritional profile, and antioxidant capacity.
• MSFE demonstrates acceptable color stability across a range of pH values during storage.
• The study confirms MSFE's potential to enhance consumer appeal and nutritional value in yogurt products.