Effects of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium on the physicochemical, rheological, and sensory properties of soy yogurt

This study investigated the effects of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) addition on the physicochemical properties, rheological characteristics, microstructure, flavor, antioxidant activity and sensory properties of soy yogurt. Adding 2%–4% CRP significantly accelerated the acid production rate of lactic acid bacteria, reducing pH to 4.56 and improving titratable acidity to 49.01°T of yogurt. Moderate addition of CRP (1%-2%) can enhance the textural and rheological properties of the yogurt, especially increasing the hardness, adhesiveness, springiness and chewiness to 0.60 N, 1.10 N.mm, 10.13 mm and 2.57 mj, while over 4% harmed the gel structure and rheology. SEM revealed that 1%-3% CRP addition enhanced gel compactness, consistent with textural and rheological analysis results. Moreover, CRP significantly enhanced the content of total phenol and flavonoid to 32.02 mg GAE/100g and 7.80 mg RE/100g, respectively, significantly boosting the antioxidant activity of the soy yogurt. Flavor analysis demonstrated that CRP effectively masked the beany flavor. Particularly at a 2% addition, volatile compounds with floral and sweet aroma were detected. Sensory evaluation conducted by trained panels indicated that 2% CRP addition had the highest overall acceptance score of 7.35. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of functional plant-based yogurt. • Moderate CRP levels could enhance textural characterization and gel stability. • CRP increased soy yogurt's phenolic, flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. • CRP effectively masked the beany flavor and introduced floral and citrus notes. • The best sensory quality of soy milk was obtained at 2% CPR addition.