Effect of Acacia nilotica Gum on the Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Sterilised Flavoured Milk

Flavoured milks are widely preferred by people of all age groups globally. There is also a significant rise in demand of functional products containing some healthy ingredients like dietary fibre. Hence, dietary fibre–fortified flavoured milk was developed using Acacia nilotica gum as a sustainable source of dietary fibre. Response surface methodology was utilized for the optimization of A. nilotica gum (1%–4%) and sugar (6%–8%) levels in flavoured milk considering three response variables that is viscosity, acidity and overall acceptability. Proximate, physicochemical, sensory, and microbial analysis of optimized flavoured milk was carried out. The average fat content, total solids, protein content, ash content, dietary fibre content and carbohydrate content of the control and optimized flavoured milk samples were 3.1%, 19.31%, 3.42%, 0.63%, 0.0% and 12.30% and 2.9%, 21.60%, 3.52%, 0.71%, 1.90% and 14.59%, respectively. The pH, acidity (as % lactic acid), viscosity (cPs), sedimentation value, sterility test and creaming index (HI) of control and optimised flavoured milk was 6.59, 0.131, 2.16, 0.11, 0.01 and 3.33, and 6.45, 0.143, 3.75, 0.20, 0.02 and 6.90 (HI), respectively.