Producing Diet Strained Kefir Using Aloe vera and Dill Powders

Kefir is one of the most widely consumed fermented milk products, which has a positive effect on health due to its high nutritional value. Consumption of diet kefir lowers blood cholesterol, but with the reduction of fat, the strength of kefir texture also decreases. In this study, dill and aloe vera powders were used at three levels of 0.5, 0.75 and 1% each and the physicochemical and sensory properties of kefir were investigated. All samples were produced under the same conditions and stored at 4 ° C. Acidity, pH, syneresis, viscosity, dry matter, texture, color, and sensory tests were performed on the samples. The results showed that the pH of all samples showed a decreasing trend with increasing fiber content (p <0.01). Also, by increasing the amount of fiber, the acidity of the samples increased significantly (p <0.01). The results of dry matter content showed that with increasing fiber content, kefir dry matter increased. During increasing the concentration of dill and aloe vera powders, the syneresis decreased (p <0.01). The results obtained from the evaluation of viscosity and texture showed that by increasing dill and aloe vera powders, the amount of these two parameters increased. The results obtained from the color analysis of the samples showed that by increasing the amount of dill and aloe vera powders, the b * index increased and the L * and a * index decreased. The results of statistical analysis showed that the increase in fiber content significantly affected odor, taste, color, texture, and overall acceptance of kefir samples (p <0.01). In general, the results showed that the addition of dill and aloe vera powders to kefir improved the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of kefir. The most desirable treatment introduced by the panelist was the treatment containing 1% dill powder + 0.5% aloe vera powder. Therefor the use of dill and aloe vera powders to improve the properties of kefir is recommended.