Effects of partially replacing skimmed milk powder with dairy ingredients on rheology, sensory profiling, and microstructure of probiotic stirred-type yogurt during cold storage.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of stirred-type skim milk probiotic yogurt fortified by partially replacing skim milk powder (SMP) with whey protein concentrate (WPC) and sodium caseinate (Na-CN) during cold storage for 28 d compared with nonfortified yogurt. The rheological properties (as measured using dynamic oscillation) and sensory profiles of probiotic yogurts were greatly enhanced when SMP (i.e., 45%) was replaced with WPC and Na-CN. Higher values of mechanical parameters related to storage and loss modulus and consistent microstructure were found in the fortified yogurts. The acidification profile was not affected by supplementation of the solids in the milk base, and the viable counts of probiotic microbiota were high and satisfactory. These positive characteristics of probiotic yogurts were maintained until the end of the storage period. The microstructure of the fortified yogurt showed some differences compared with the nonfortified product, which were due to changes in chemical composition of the milk base in addition to the colloidal characteristics of the product.