Synergistic fortification of Greek yoghurt with honey, ginger extract, and rice bran: effects on nutritional, textural, and sensory properties

Abstract This study examined the synergistic fortification of Greek yoghurt with honey (3% and 6% wt/wt), ginger extract (1% and 2% vol/wt), and rice bran (3% and 6% wt/wt), assessing nutritional, textural, and sensory attributes over 7 days of storage. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the eight fortified treatments to test main effects and interactions between the three ingredients. One-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s post hoc test was used to compare all treatments against the control. Rice bran primarily enhanced protein and crude fibre content (p < .001), while honey × ginger extract × rice bran interactions increased total solids, crude fibre, and antioxidant activity (p < .001). Textural parameters such as hardness, gumminess, and chewiness increased with higher rice bran levels, whereas cohesiveness and springiness remained stable. Sensory evaluation indicated that formulations with 6% honey achieved the best acceptability among the fortified yoghurts. These findings demonstrate the synergistic potential of honey, ginger extract, and rice bran in enhancing the nutritional profile, notably antioxidant capacity and crude fibre content, and improving the functional textural properties of Greek yoghurt.