Plant-based ice creams: importance and milk substitute ingredients - a brief review

Abstract

The demand for healthy foods is on the rise, as is the interest in improving quality of life and including foods with higher nutritional value or that meet dietary restrictions in the diet. Among the restrictive groups, lactose-free, milk protein-free, gluten-free and low-calorie foods, among others, stand out. Milk protein allergy, an adverse reaction of the immune system, affects between 2% and 6% of the population. The difficulty in finding food alternatives for these groups represents an opportunity for innovation in formulations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the ingredients used in the production of vegan ice cream and highlight the effect of these ingredients on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the final products, through a bibliographic study. The methodology used was a qualitative research, based on a bibliographic review of scientific publications in journals, conference proceedings, among others, using keywords for search. Among the ingredients most used to replace milk are: yam, peas, baru nuts, cashew nuts, coconut extract, sweet potatoes, yams, papaya, chia, soy and rice proteins. The production of plant-based ice creams for people with dietary restrictions has high potential for the development of new products. The results found reveal a high market potential for these products, with vegan ice creams receiving good acceptance from consumers and meeting the physical-chemical and microbiological standards required by current legislation.