Sensorial and Nutritional Quality Evaluation of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Based Vegan Ice-cream

Abstract

Background: Vegan foods are commonly preferred by the consumers with lactose intolerance and who are highly prone to allergic for animal sourced proteins. Along with condition specific preference, demand for vegan foods by other sector of consumers has also positively skewed with the substantial demand. This cumulative demand has portrayed the long-term sustainability of vegan products in the market. Amongst the vegan products, ice-cream devoid of animal source is gaining more popularity as an alternative choice for conventional ice-cream. At the same time millets are gaining more importance due to their inbuilt nutraceutical and nutrition quality. Hence, with this background present study was undertaken with an objective to develop pearl millet based vegan ice-cream with different variations. Methods: A total of two variations with pearl millet were developed and compared with control. All the developed products were subjected for sensory evaluation, nutritional and phytochemical quality assessment with antinutritional property evaluation. Results: Sensory evaluation revealed that both variations have the comparable sensory scores as compared to control ice-cream. However, higher acceptability score was observed for PMVI 1 pearl millet based vegan ice cream variation followed by PMVI 2. Significant difference was observed in the proximate composition of all the three products including control. The protein concentration in the control sample was revealed to be higher than other two variations which were observed to be 2.86 and 3.48 g/100 in PMVI 1 and 2 respectively. Tannin and phytic acid content were found to be high in PMVI1 compared to the control and PMVI 2. Polyphenol content in PMVI1 found to be on par with PMVI 2 variation. From the sensory score, nutritional quality and phytochemical evaluation report, it was revealed that PMVI 1 ice-cream is best alternative choice to the control ice-cream.