Physicochemical characterization and sensory evaluation of yogurts incorporated with beta-carotene-loaded solid lipid microparticles stabilized with hydrolyzed soy protein isolate.

Beta-carotene is an extremely interesting bioactive compound in the food industry due to its antioxidant capacity and pro-vitamin A activity. However, its incorporation into food products can be challenging, as it is highly hydrophobic and chemically unstable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating beta-carotene-loaded solid lipid microparticles (SLMs) stabilized with a hydrolyzed soy protein isolate in yogurt. The SLMs were produced using palm stearin as the lipid phase. Microparticle dispersions containing only beta-carotene and both beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were incorporated into yogurts, comprising 5% of its total mass. This addition itself was efficient to provide color, and the presence of the lipid microparticles did not change the physicochemical or the rheological characteristics of the product. Based on the sensory evaluation, the panelists approved the yogurt, as average grades of global acceptance were around 8.0 ("liked it very much") on the hedonic scale.