Novel functional plant-based yoghurt designed and analysed using conventional and AI techniques

Abstract

This research uses supercritical water extraction to extract bioactive compounds from orange peel and the edible mushroom Suillus granulatus. The goal was to create a new functional almond yoghurt enriched with these extracts while determining its nutritional, antioxidant, and sensory properties. Moreover, the goal was also to determine the accuracy and reliability of digital sensor analysis using a combination of several software programs. The precise fermentation process was successfully employed during the laboratory production of almond yoghurt enriched with extracts from orange peel and S. granulatus. Subcritical water extraction, known as "green extraction," has proven to be an excellent method for extracting valuable components from food waste, such as orange peel. The three types of almond yoghurt produced exhibited remarkably high protein content (ranging from 13.51% to 14.88%) and fat content (between 9.13% and 9.39%), significantly exceeding the protein and fat levels found in traditional yoghurt made from cow's milk. Among the samples, the yoghurt enriched with orange peel extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in both tests conducted (P < 0.05) compared to the other samples. Additionally, the yogurt enriched with orange peel (Sample 2) showed significantly greater facial expressions, including lip press (10.70), lip suck (2.26), surprise (3.57), and joy (8.71), in comparison to Samples 1 and 3 (P < 0.05). This production process will be adapted for industrial-scale production, integrating digitalisation and emphasising the importance of precise fermentation to ensure the production of high-quality, functional plant-based substitutes for dairy products.