Abstract:
This study is focused on the development of a Greek-style buffalo curd dessert
incorporating strawberries, addressing the growing demand for nutritious and
functional dairy products in Sri Lanka. Buffalo milk is high in protein and fat, while
strawberries add antioxidants. The formulation was optimized through sensory
evaluations. First, whey removal times of 2, 4, and 6 hours were evaluated by 32
untrained panelists using a 5-point hedonic scale to assess the appearance, texture,
consistency, flavor, and overall acceptability, leading to the selection of the preferred
duration. Next, sugar-to-strawberry ratios (9:10, 10:10, and 11:10) were tested on
sweetness and overall acceptability by 34 untrained panelists with a 3-point hedonic
scale, applying the selected whey removal time from the initial test. Finally, the
addition of 25% and 35% strawberry pulp was compared by 46 untrained panelists
for appearance, odor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Statistical analysis,
including descriptive statistics and ANOVA, was conducted at each stage to
determine the optimal sensory attributes for the final formulation. The optimal
combination from sensory panelists was identified as a two-hour whey removal time,
a 10:10 sugar-to-strawberry ratio and 35% sugar-added strawberry pulp with chunks
as a percentage of the total volume. The nutritional analysis showed 0% salt content
(as sodium chloride), 0% total dietary fiber, 19.8% sugar, 22.7% carbohydrate, 6.5%
fat, 0.4% ash, 3.5% protein, 4.68% saturated fatty acid, 1.73% monounsaturated fatty
acid, 0.09% polyunsaturated fatty acid, 0.18% trans fatty acid, energy 163.3 kcal and
16.3 mg sodium (as Na) per 100g of the product. The pH, titratable acidity and color
(L*, a*, b*) were 3.9±0.10, 0.9±0.05%, 73.8±0.53, 9.3±0.56 and 10.1±0.41
respectively. There was no significant microbial or physicochemical deterioration
throughout 14 days of storage. Thus, strawberry-incorporated Greek-style buffalo
curd dessert can be successfully manufactured with a 14-day shelf life.
