Development and characterization of some vegan spreadable desserts without added sugar, enriched with essential oils

Raw vegan desserts without added sugar have become very popular among consumers in recent years, as they keep vitamins, enzymes and other heat-labile substances intact, while also bringing energy, vitality and contributing to good health. This work aimed to obtain two varieties of raw vegan desserts, without added sugar, using avocado pulp, banana pulp and dates as raw materials: one with added cocoa powder and nutmeg essential oil (SRVD1), and the second, allergen-free, containing carob powder and black pepper essential oil (SRVD2). For both raw materials and finished products, the total polyphenol content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, proximate composition, as well as sensory characteristics (5-point hedonic scale method). From the raw materials, cocoa powder stood out with the highest TPC (10.15±0.14 mg GAE/g) and the strongest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity (95.21±0.34%), followed by carob powder (7.02±0.06 mg GAE/g, respectively 90.31±0.27%). In terms of finished products, the SRVD1 assortment had the highest TPC and the best antiradical activity (2.07±0.03 mg GAE/g.12±0.33%). The two varieties of spreadable raw vegan desserts had very similar values of the proximate composition, SRVD2 assortment being slightly richer in total carbohydrates, sugars and dietary fiber. The sensory evaluation of the products resulted in very good scores for all the characteristics analyzed.