The objective of this study was to evaluate physicochemical and sensory
properties, the texture profile, and antioxidant activity of ginseng
extract-supplemented quark cheese as a new cheese product intended to improve
public health. After addition of less than 1.0% ginseng extract, the
moisture content of quark significantly decreased, while fat and protein levels
increased, although microbial counts and lactose and ash contents were not
affected significantly (p<0.05). In terms of color, L* values decreased
significantly with increasing concentration of ginseng extract, while a* values
increased significantly (p<0.05). The results of texture profiling showed
that cohesiveness and springiness were unaffected, whereas hardness, gumminess,
and chewiness increased significantly. The
2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS)
radical-scavenging activities of the cheese fortified with 0%,
0.5%, or 1.0% of the ginseng extract were
4.22%±0.12%, 20.14%±1.34%, and
56.32%±1.54%, respectively. The results of sensory analysis
indicated that bitterness, ginseng odor, and aftertaste significantly improved
with increasing concentration of ginseng extract (p<0.05). However, there
was no significant difference in the overall quality attributes of quark cheese
between the no-supplement control and samples with less than 0.5% of the
ginseng extract (p>0.05), suggesting that these products could help to
promote public health as functional foods.