Comparing the Quality Properties of Cow Milk and Hazelnut Milk Fermented by Viili Yogurt Culture

Viili is ropey and sticky traditional fermented milk that originated in Scandinavia. In this study, raw hazelnut milk (HM) with a nutritionally rich composition was used in developing new plant-based fermented products by using Viili starter cultures in order to produce health-promoting and functional plant-based dairy-like products. For this purpose, physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties were determined by producing Viili yogurt from both raw cow milk (VY) and fermented HM. Microbial analysis results showed that the defined formulation yielded high probiotic survivals (6.68–7.14 log CFU/g of TMAB, 6.90–7.85 log CFU/g of yeast-mold, 5.80–7.91 log CFU/g of LAB, and 5.14–7.60 log CFU/g of Lactococcus spp.) during the storage period. Sensory analysis showed that the properties of FHM such as color and appearance, structure, consistency, flavor, and odor were less appreciated than VY, whereas some other properties were found to be sufficient for consumption.