Review on okara mucilege as a functional additive for vegan ice cream

Abstract

Ice cream is a beloved dessert known for its creamy texture and nutritional benefits, typically containing 14-18% sugar and 10-16% fat. However, high levels of sugar and fat pose health concerns. As a response, the food industry has developed vegan ice cream. Despite providing a plant-based alternative, vegan ice cream often struggles with achieving the same texture and mouthfeel as traditional ice cream, even though it contains similar fat (6-10%) and sugar (15-20%) levels.Natural stabilizers, like okra mucilage, offer a promising solution to these texture challenges. Okra mucilage, which is rich in polysaccharides (15-20%), aligns with the clean label movement by offering a natural thickening and stabilizing agent. Studies show that adding 0.5-1.0% okra mucilage to vegan ice cream significantly increases viscosity and decreases ice crystal formation, resulting in better texture and stability.