Statistical Modelling of Yogurt Alternatives with Chickpea, Oat, and Hydrolyzed Insect Proteins: Improving Texture, Protein Quality, and Sensory Performance

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Abstract
The growing shift away from dairy consumption due to environmental, ethical, and health concerns has increased the demand for nutritionally adequate and texturally acceptable plant-based yogurt alternatives. However, many commercial products fall short in protein quality and sensory performance. This study aimed to evaluate and optimize the textural and nutritional properties, including essential amino acid composition, of non-dairy yogurt-like formulations using chickpea protein (CP), oat protein (OP), and hydrolyzed insect protein (HIP), and to benchmark them against commercial dairy and plant-based yogurts. A ternary mixture design combined with response surface modelling was employed to develop and optimize seven experimental yogurt-like (YL) formulations based on varying proportions of chickpea, oat, and hydrolyzed insect proteins, which were subsequently compared to four commercial yogurt products. Physicochemical properties (color, firmness, consistency), nutritional content (macronutrients and amino acid profile), and sensory descriptors were analyzed. Optimization was performed using ridge regression and desirability functions to match commercial references while achieving nutritional targets. Sensory analysis was carried out with a trained panel using QDA, and data were analyzed using ANOVA. The two optimized yogurt-like products outperformed commercial plant-based references in texture (firmness 97.6–96.0 g vs. 57.6 g; consistency 2131–2079 g·s vs. 1198 g·s) and essential amino acid content (e.g., leucine 509–524 mg/100 g vs. 188 mg/100 g). The optimized formulations also met the “source of protein” claim (12% energy from protein). Sensory profiles were closer to dairy yogurt, particularly in creaminess and appearance. These findings demonstrate a feasible and scalable approach to developing yogurt alternatives that overcome current limitations in protein quality and sensory appeal. The integration of underutilized protein sources and optimization modelling contributes to the development of next-generation plant-based foods with improved nutritional and consumer relevance.
Funding Information
  • Università degli Studi di Parma

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