Wheat germ as a healthy ingredient for replacing milk solid not fat in ice cream manufacture

Background: Ice cream is a popular dairy product. While it's no longer seen solely as a refreshing treat, it serves as an excellent carrier for food additives and therapeutic ingredients. Aim: This study explores replacing skim milk powder with wheat germ powder to enhance the nutritional value of ice cream and assess the properties of the final product. Materials: Wheat germ (WG) was sourced from Imtenan Company and analyzed for chemical composition, dietary fiber, minerals, phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. Ice cream mixes were prepared using four WG replacement levels: 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. Results: Wheat germ contained 37.2% protein, 10.2% fat, and 5.2% ash. It also had 2.8% soluble and 15.7% insoluble dietary fiber. Mineral analysis showed high levels of Calcium (45.2 mg/100g), Magnesium (290 mg/100g), Phosphorus (980 mg/100g), Potassium (1030 mg/100g), Zinc (16.1 mg/100g), and Ferrous (7.8 mg/100g). WG exhibited strong antioxidant activity due to its phenol and flavonoid content. Ice cream samples showed increased protein, fat, and ash with higher WG levels. pH decreased while acidity rose. Viscosity increased and overrun decreased with more WG. Melting resistance improved across all treatments. Conclusion: Replacing 75% of skim milk powder with wheat germ yielded the most acceptable product. Wheat germ powder proves to be a valuable functional ingredient for enhancing ice cream’s nutritional profile.