Incorporation of Sukkari Date in Probiotic-Enriched Fermented Camel Milk Improves the Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Organoleptical Characteristics

Abstract

Camel milk and dates are well-known for their great nutritional and therapeutical benefits. Therefore, the study aimed to combine the benefits of fermented camel milk (FCM) and Sukkari date (SKD) in a naturally sweetened FCM. Six treatments of FCM using ABT-5 cultures with 0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% SKD were carried out. Chemical, physicochemical, rheological properties were studied, while organoleptical attributes and probiotic strains viability were monitored during cold storage (4 °C) up to 15 days. Results showed that fortification with SKD increased total solids (TS), ash, dietary fiber, and carbohydrate content compared to plain FCM. Water holding capacity (WHC) values increased with low and medium SKD levels then decreased with high SKD levels. Minerals such as K, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cu were significantly increased, while Na was significantly decreased. Increased SKD levels in FCM resulted in significant increases in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), total flavonols (TFL), and antioxidant activity (AOA). Instrumental color analysis exhibited a significant change in L*, b*, BI, and ∆E due to adding SKD in a dose-dependent manner. The viability of Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum was increased by adding low and medium SKD levels, resulting in a higher number than the accepted threshold for a probiotic effect. Adding 10 and 12.5% SKD recorded the best-balanced flavor score at the beginning and after up to 15 days of storage, respectively. Conclusively, the current study revealed that fortification with SKD at 7.5–12.5% improved the nutritional quality without adverse effects on the technological, organoleptic characteristics, and probiotics viability and provided acceptable, nutritious, and healthy benefits to FCM.

Assessment of the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of fermented camel milk fortified with Cordia myxa and its biological effects against oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia in rats

“…On contrary, due to the low protein and fat concentrations of CMP, the inclusion of CMP in fermented camel milk (FCM) in varying proportions had no influence on the protein and fat contents. These findings corroborated with several previous works ( 30 , 63 , 64 ) that discovered that camel milk supplemented with avocado, kiwi, Sukkari dates, and sidr fruit pulp had higher TS, ash, and dietary fiber concentrations when compared to regular FCM. Regarding TA, Table 2 demonstrates that increasing the fortification percentage greatly reduced ( p ≤ 0.05) the acidity of FCM fortified with CMP.…”

“…This might be brought on by the inferior flavor, weak body, and texture of camel milk curd. The lack of β-LG in camel milk, the large casein micelles, the relative distribution of casein fractions, and the tiny size of the camel fat globules all led to the watery and fragile quality and poor structure of the plain FCM ( 64 ). These findings were in line with several earlier studies ( 30 , 64 ), which showed that fortifying camel milk with Sukkari dates or sidr fruit pulp improved its sensory qualities.…”

Experimental Investigation and Modeling for the Influence of Adding Date Press Cake on Drinkable Yogurt Quality

“…With the addition of moringa to yogurt, the results of the study mentioned by Mendoza-Taco et al [ 66 ] showed that the yogurt samples were not affected in relation to the sensory traits assessed. Meanwhile, in a study [ 67 ] attempting to enhance the vitality-boosting fermented camel milk drink with sugary date fibers and demonstrate its effects on sensory traits, the results indicated that adding 12.5% of sugary dates fiber was preferred by sensory traits assessors.…”

Strategies for the Valorization of Date Fruit and Its Co-Products: A New Ingredient in the Development of Value-Added Foods

“…Last but not least, date paste obtained from date flesh is mainly composed of sugars (fructose, glucose, and sucrose), dietary fiber, and polyphenols, so its incorporation in dairy products as a sweetener can be a good alternative to the use of refined sugars. In this sense, fermented camel milk was incorporated with Sukkari date paste in different concentrations (5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15%) to evaluate the effect on physicochemical, rheological, and organoleptic properties as well as on the viability of probiotic strains during 15 days at cold storage [ 91 ]. The addition of date paste resulted in an increase in total solids, ash, dietary fiber (from 0 to 0.64 g/100 g), and carbohydrates (3.7 vs. 13.67 g/100 g) compared to plain fermented camel milk along with an increase in mineral content (K, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cu) and antioxidant activity.…”