Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensorial properties of chickpea yogurt analogue produced with different types of stabilizers

There is a growing need for plant-based yogurts analogue that meet consumer demands in terms of texture and sensory qualities. Stabilizers are crucial in plant-based yogurt's physical properties which help develop a thicker and creamier texture, mimicking dairy yogurt. Thus, the study aims to evaluate the effect of pectin, corn starch, and locust bean gum (LBG) at different ratios on the physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of chickpea yogurts analogue (CYA). The concentration of stabilizer significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the proximate compositions, physicochemical and textural properties, and cell viability. CYA with 0.5% pectin showed the highest fat (4.75 ± 0.07) and protein content (2.39 ± 0.07), which were significantly different from other formulations. A significant increase (p < 0.05) was observed in yogurt viscosity with the addition of corn starch and LBG at 1.0%. Firmness and consistency were improved in samples supplemented with 1.0% corn starch. The sensory evaluation indicated that adding LBG at the ratio of 0.5% generated better preference among panelists in terms of the appearance, color, and texture aspects. Meanwhile, commercial CYA showed significantly higher overall acceptability (p < 0.05) than other samples. The stabilizer’s behavior significantly impacts the features of CYA, and which with 0.5% LBG received high consumer acceptance, indicating good potential for CYA to be on the same shelf with other commercial yogurts analogue in the market.