The effect of an oat-β-glucan addition on the physico-chemical properties of a set yoghurt

This paper reports the effect of an oat beta-glucan on rheological properties Of set yoghurts. The skim milk powder (SMP) and whey protein isolate (WPI) powders were used in order to increase the amounts of total solids in the examined set yoghurts. The hardness of set yoghurts increased at a higher oat beta-glucan content upon replacement of SMP with WPI. Hardness increased to an optimal beta-glucan concentration and then a phase separation was observed. Similar tendency was observed for the viscosity of an oat beta-glucan treated yoghurt. At higher oat beta-glucan concentration the extensive phase separation phenomenon occurred between milk proteins and polysaccharide. A faster increase in storage and loss moduli was observed when beta-glucan contained yoghurt was incubated. Oat beta-glucan can be successfully applied in the process of yoghurt production.