Encapsulating capacity of ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH): Replacement of milk fat by vegetable oils using buttermilk as a functional ingredient in yogurt processing

This study investigated the characteristics of yogurts produced by substituting dairy fat with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-rich oils encapsulated with buttermilk (BM) in spray-dried emulsions (SDE). Two homogenization methods, conventional (CH) and ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH), were compared to obtain the emulsions for spray drying. Recombined milks (RMs) were formulated using two different concentrations (4 g/100 g and 6 g/100 g) of SDE, followed by fermentation. Yogurt characteristics were evaluated during cold storage using various parameters, including coagulation properties, texture and rheology, microstructure, physicochemical characteristics (color, pH, total acidity, and water holding capacity), oxidative stability, main fatty acid profile, microbial assessment, and sensory evaluation. During cold storage, several parameters significantly influenced the yogurt characteristics. The CH yogurts exhibited higher textural parameters (firmness and consistency) and viscoelastic parameters (G′ and G'') compared to the UHPH yogurts at the same SDE concentration. However, UHPH yogurts generally showed better water holding capacity (WHC) values. UHPH yogurts also demonstrated superior stability to oxidation and higher PUFA content. The observed differences between the CH and UHPH treatments can be attributed to the structuring of fat-protein-BM into colloidal particles based on the homogenization system employed in this study. Neither of the homogenization systems nor the SDE content impacted yogurt flavor.