Preservation of Antioxidant Phytochemicals in Mango–Passion Fruit Ice Cream: A Novel Approach Employing Ultrasonic Technologies

Ultrasonic‐assisted pasteurization has gained increasing attention as a promising method for preserving heat‐sensitive bioactive compounds in food products. In this study, the Box–Behnken experimental design method was employed to optimize key parameters for the processing of a mango–passion fruit ice cream formulation. Through optimizing for viscosity and total solid content, the optimal contents of various additives were determined, which includes carrageenan (0.06 g/100 g), whipping cream (9.0 g/100 g), and lecithin (0.4 g/100 g). More importantly, ultrasonic‐assisted pasteurization was proven to be better at preserving the nutrient contents of mango–passion fruit ice cream compared to conventional thermal methods. Particularly, at the optimal ultrasonic temperature (65°C), power intensity (46%), duration (15 min), and homogenization speed (6500 rpm), the mango–passion fruit ice cream managed to retain 90.41% (58.21 ± 0.57 mgAA/100 g) and 92.67% (179.51 ± 3.11 mgGAE/100 g) of its original vitamin C and polyphenol contents, while also meeting the local standards for microbial safety (QCVN 8‐3:2012/BYT). In contrast, with conventional thermal pasteurization (95°C for 5 min), the final product exhibited 46.89% and 52.63% losses in its vitamin C and polyphenol contents, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of ultrasonic processing as a superior alternative to traditional thermal methods, minimizing nutrient degradation while maintaining microbiological integrity, especially in the dairy industry to develop functional, nutrient‐rich frozen desserts.