Potential application of herbs and spices and their effects in functional dairy products.

Herbs and spices come from different parts of the plant are used to impart an aroma and taste to food. Several herbs have therapeutic properties such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antimicrobial activities. Therefore, fortification of dairy foods with herbs and spices could help to provide functional dairy products with nutritional and medicinal values. Also, herbs and spices are used to improve the appearance and attractiveness of fortified foods for consumers and to increase the sale of those herbs. Therefore, only the highest quality herbs or spices can be added to dairy products to combat contaminating microorganisms. In this review the latest progresses in the dairy sector concerning the addition of numerous herbs and spices in different forms (i.e. powder, fresh, extract, essential oils) to dairy food has been conversed. Also, the effects of those herbs and spices on the quality of dairy products such as yoghurts, cheeses, butter, gee and ice creams have been presented.