Functional, Nutritional and Biological Properties of Ice Cream Produced by Yeast Inoculation

The study evaluated the impact of three yeast strains ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae , probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii , and probiotic Kluyveromyces marxianus var. lactis ) on the physicochemical, microbiological, textural, and nutritional properties of ice cream. Statistical analysis using ANOVA revealed that yeast inoculation significantly affected ( p < 0.05) the product characteristics. S. cerevisiae led to the lowest first drip (20.78 s), complete melting time (86.78 s), overrun (44.80%), firmness (13.71 g), consistency (251.21 g s), and pH (6.30). Microbiological analysis immediately after production showed that S. boulardii exhibited the highest initial viability (8.05 log cfu/g), exceeding the probiotic threshold, while S. cerevisiae and K. lactis achieved 7.09 and 6.16 log cfu/g, respectively. Regarding nutritional profiles, S. cerevisiae significantly increased formic, malic, and lactic acids, and resulted in the highest saturated fatty acid content (78.48%). S. boulardii and K. lactis also modified the fatty acid and organic acid profiles, demonstrating strain‐dependent metabolic effects, although they generally produced milder physical alterations than S. cerevisiae . In conclusion, inoculating ice cream with these yeasts, particularly S. boulardii , successfully enhances its functional and nutritional value, offering a highly practical and promising technological approach for the dairy industry to develop novel, health‐promoting functional desserts.