Effect of High Biological Value Animal Protein Sources on the Techno-Functional Properties of Ice Cream

This study aimed to investigate the effect of enriching ice cream with high biological value animal protein sources from by-products on its techno-functional properties. Ice creams were prepared with 10 g (100 g) −1 amount of different enrichments: whole egg, egg yolk, egg white, animal blood plasma, whole blood, and haemoglobin. The rheological properties, frozen texture, colour, dry matter content, and pH of the ice cream samples were analysed. The results indicate that these ‘natural food additives’ can influence the quality properties of ice cream, highlighting the potential for developing novel ice cream products with enhanced nutritional value and decreasing food wastes. The study reveals that enrichments significantly affect the rheological attributes of the ice cream mix, altering yield stress and consistency index without changing the overall rheological behaviour. The frozen texture varies among enrichments, with egg white resulting in the softest texture, while blood-based enrichments and egg yolk contribute to a harder texture. Colour analysis indicates changes in redness/greenness, yellowness/blueness and lightness due to different pigments and foaming effects of enrichment materials. Furthermore, enrichments influence dry matter content and pH, with egg yolk increasing fat content and haemoglobin boosting protein content. Sensory analysis suggests that certain enrichments improve taste sensation and colour preference, making them more acceptable to consumers despite the by-product ingredients.