Quality characteristics of yogurt sweetened with stevia and enriched with date pulp

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the production of date yogurts with potentially improved functional and nutritional properties by incorporating different levels of stevia as a natural sweetener, in combination with date fruit and whey powder to increase dry matter content.Materials and Methods: Date yogurts were produced from standardized cow’s milk supplemented with whey powder (10%) and sweetened with date pulp and stevia (2% and 4%). The samples were analyzed during storage for physicochemical, microbiological, textural, antioxidant, and sensory properties.Results: Replacing sucrose with stevia had no significant effect on pH, titratable acidity, or water-holding capacity, thereby maintaining physicochemical stability. Yogurts containing 4% stevia exhibited the highest viscosity and firmness, while total phenolic content ranged from 0.44 to 0.56 mg GAE/g, reflecting the antioxidant contribution of date pulp. Although slight variations in starter culture activity were observed, sensory evaluation confirmed the acceptability of yogurts formulated with 4% stevia.Conclusion: The results indicate that stevia can be effectively used as a sugar substitute in date-enriched yogurt formulations, enabling the development of a reduced-sugar product with acceptable quality and sensory characteristics. All produced date yogurts complied with relevant quality standards.