Sustainable Utilization of Hemp Press Cake Flour in Ice Cream Production: Physicochemical, Rheological, Textural, and Sensorial Properties

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of replacing skim milk powder with hempseed press cake on the quality properties of ice cream. Four ice cream mix formulations were developed, three with hemp press cake (25.0%, 37.5% and 50.0% milk powder replacement) and one control sample. The physicochemical (basic composition, pH, titratable acidity, water activity) and rheological properties of the ice cream mixes and the fat destabilization index, overrun, texture profile, colour, and sensory attributes of the ice cream were analysed. The results showed that the partial replacement of milk powder with hemp flour had no significant effect on the total values of the main components of the ice cream; only the origin of the nutrients was changed, which affected the properties of the samples. In the enriched samples, a decrease in acidity (from 0.146% to 0.133% LA) and fat destabilization (43.70 to 26.84%); an increase in viscosity (from 1.319 to 1.908 Pa sn), thixotropy (from 1682.00 to 2120.50 Pa/s), overrun (from 26.83 to 35.00%) and hardness (from 6833.12 to 14,660.06 g); as well as a change in colour to darker shades of red were observed. Although the incorporation of hempseed cake led to a decrease in sensory scores (from 7.57 to 6.47–5.63 on the hedonic scale), all samples were rated as acceptable. This study demonstrated that hemp press cake can be utilized as a functional and sustainable ingredient in ice cream production, providing additional nutritional benefits and creating a novel sensory experience for consumers.