Study of structural and mechanical characteristics of dairy desserts with a combined composition of raw materials

Dairy products are complex in chemical composition and have a range of various properties that determine their quality. For a scientifically based consideration of these properties, information on the rheological characteristics of the product is necessary. Therefore, it is important to conduct research on the use of technological methods that allow for a targeted impact on the structural and mechanical characteristics of a dairy product and the effective management of quality indicators, particularly consistency. The aim of the study was to investigate the rheological characteristics of dairy desserts with a combined composition of raw materials. The article presents the results of research on determining the rheological parameters of pudding and cream made using whey protein concentrate, dry demineralized whey, inulin, pectin, rice flour, corn starch on various dairy raw materials. The rheological curves of dairy desserts indicate their structured nature. The structure of the retentate-based pudding is stronger than that of the butter-based product - its viscosity at a shear stress of 387.0 Pa is 205 Pa-s, which is 11% higher. The viscosity of the retentate-based cream is 102 Pa-s, which is 50.2 % less than that of the pudding. The structure of the buttermilk-based cream, which also requires the greatest effort to break and has the least elasticity, was found to be the least durable. It has been proven that dairy desserts show the ability to self-heal and belong to plastic-viscous coagulation systems according to the classification of Acad. PAS. Rebinder. It was established that the rheological viscosity curves of dairy desserts are characteristic of structured systems. It is shown that the structure of cream and pudding made on the basis of retentate is stronger. To preserve the structure of desserts, thermomechanical treatment at a shear rate of up to 50 s⁻¹ is recommended to minimize the destruction of bonds. Key words: dairy desserts, cream, pudding, buttermilk, retentate, combined composition of raw materials, structure, rheological parameters, strength, quality.