OPTIMIZATION OF THE FORMULATION OF A CURD PRODUCT WITH THE ADDITION OF PUMPKIN CRYOPOWDER

Formulations of structured dairy products that demonstrate good organoleptic properties are considered the most promising in terms of meeting consumer demands, increasing market share, and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic dairy production. The selection of dairy bases (low-fat curd, pumpkin cryopowder, and cream), which possess diverse structural-mechanical characteristics and functional-technological properties, is scientifically justified and aimed at developing a range of structured dairy products containing functional food components. Viscosity was chosen as the target function for optimization, as it is a key indicator characterizing the consistency and structure of viscous products, such as the curd-based product being developed. An analysis of the response surface revealed that the optimal viscosity zone for the curd product is achieved when the mass fraction of curd is 89.6%, the mass fraction of cryopowder is 5.4%, and the fat content in the cream is 31.3%. The characteristic viscosity for curd products ranges from 1400 to 2500 mPa·s. The analysis of prediction error distribution for viscosity values yielded satisfactory results: a significant portion of the data points remained close to the trendline, confirming the adequacy of the model. This indicates the formation of a product structure in which the fermented protein coagulate plays a key role. Therefore, the viscosity, consistency, and consumer properties of the final product largely depend on its concentration.