A novel functional reduced fat ice cream produced with pea protein isolate instead of milk powder

In this study, the possibilities of using pea protein isolate in the production of functional reduced fat ice cream, and vegetarian/vegan ice cream were investigated. For this purpose, six different ice creams were produced with different proportions of pea protein isolate (A: 0%, B: 6%, C: 12%, D: 25%, E: 100% pea protein isolate and milk fat (4%), F: 100% pea protein isolate and vegetable fat (4%)), and physical, chemical, textural, and sensory analysis of ice creams were carried out on the 1st, 30th, and 60th days of storage. Results showed that adding pea protein isolate as a substitute for milk powder improved the physical and textural properties of ice cream, but the addition of high amounts of pea protein isolates negatively affected the sensory properties, and was not suitable for vegan type ice cream production in terms of sensory properties. Practical applications Commonly consumed all over the world, ice cream provides important nutritional additions to our diet, including energy, calcium, protein, and other micronutrients. To increase the nutritional value of ice cream research has been conducted on the production of ice cream containing natural antioxidants, natural pigments, vitamins, low-fat and free from synthetic additives such as fruit and vegetables, probiotics, vegetable milk, and vegetable proteins. There is an increasing interest in vegetable proteins because of their health benefits. Less consumed by children, peas (Pisum sativum) have become a popular alternative protein source with their high protein content as well as their versatility as a sustainable, nutritious, and low-allergen food source. As far as is known, there is no study on ice cream production with pea protein isolate. In this study, new formulations were created to produce functional and vegetarian/vegan ice cream. By transferring these products to the industry, it will be possible to get a new product for the use of pea protein isolate and to increase the consumption of peas by children.