STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF POLLENON THE QUALITY OF FERMENTED ICE CREAM

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when consumed in sufficient amounts, provide proven health benefits, including the improvement of intestinal microflora, activation of the immune system, cholesterol reduction, and inhibition of pathogens. The present study addresses the limited data on the use of pollen as a functional ingredient in fermented ice cream with probiotics. To enrich fermented ice cream, different concentrations of pollen (3%, 5%, and 7%) were introduced into the formulations. The results demonstrated that 5% and 7% negatively affected the sensory and rheological properties, while 3% pollen maintained acceptable organoleptic quality and improved nutritional value. This highlights the potential of pollen as a novel functional ingredient for probiotic fermented ice cream. The findings provide both scientific novelty,by evaluating the optimal concentration of pollen, and practical recommendations for its application in the food industry.