Process standardization for development of herbal buttermilk supplemented with Aloe vera juice

Abstract

Cultured buttermilk is a highly refreshing fermented dairy product consumed in regular diet and is claimed to be aid in to digestion, reduces acidity and constipation while Aloe vera is known for several herbal benefits. In our current project, buttermilk was fortified with Aloe vera juice in the range 10-20% in order to enhance the nutritional and therapeutic value of original product. The product was optimized based on sensory evaluation by expert panel of judges. The overall acceptability score of optimized product (15% Aloe vera) was 7.85. It also differs non-significantly with control sample. Higher concentration of Aloe vera increased stickiness, and gave pungent taste & slight greenish tinge. The product was further analyzed for compositional, physico-chemical and microbiological analysis. The protein, moisture, total solid content and viscosity differ significantly whereas fat and acidity showed non-significant difference. The absence of coliform and yeast & mold count indicates good hygiene processing. Product was containing sufficient amount of live lactic acid bacterial cell (>106 per mL) to provide positive health effect. The optimized product mask the typical taste of Aloe vera (15%) in popularly consumed beverage buttermilk. The newly developed product is good for health and can be considered as herbal product.