Whipped chickpea aquafaba as a fat replacer in ice cream: Effect on sensory and physicochemical properties

Abstract Whipped chickpea aquafaba (WAF) exhibits foaming, emulsifying, and gelling properties, making it a potential ingredient for replacing cream in ice cream formulations. The aim of this study was to use WAF in combination with whey protein isolate (WPI) to produce low‐fat coffee ice cream with 50% (L50) and 80% (L80) milk cream replacement. The melting rate, color, texture, volatile compounds, and sensory attributes were analyzed to explore the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the low‐fat ice creams compared to their full‐fat counterparts. Fat substitute performance varied based on cream replacement levels, with L50 1:0 (WAF:WPI) and L80 1:0 achieving 25% and 40% reductions in calorie content, respectively. The foaming properties of aquafaba resulted in an increased overrun, particularly in formulations where the cream reduction was 50%. While the 80% replacement showed higher intensity of “hardness,” “brown color,” and “melting” sensory descriptors, the 50% cream‐replaced ice cream showed only slight differences compared to the full‐fat version, like a higher perception of ice crystals. The combination of WAF and WPI in ice cream provides sensory properties and releases pyrazines, responsible for the coffee aroma, similar to full‐fat ice cream. The 1:1 WAF:WPI mixture for 50% cream reduction provided a suitable cream replacement, as this formulation resulted in ice cream that was not identified as different from the full‐fat control ice cream in the triangle test. Practical Application This study demonstrates that whipped aquafaba, a by‐product of chickpea processing, can be effectively used to reduce the fat content in ice cream without compromising sensory quality. In addition to promoting the development of healthier low‐fat ice creams, this approach also contributes to food industry sustainability by reusing a commonly discarded by‐product.