EFFECT OF DIFFERENT MILK SUBSTITUTES ON RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF PUDDINGS

Abstract

Commercial pudding powders are usually composed of starch, hydrocolloids, colorings and aromas, and are intended to be dissolved in milk. The use of milk substitutes is mandatory for people suffering from lactose intolerance and milk allergies, but these ingredients have an effect on pudding structure and rheological behavior that has been little studied.  The aim of the present study was to characterize the rheological behaviour of three commercial pudding powders dissolved in water, rice drink, grapefruit juice, soy drink and milk (reference sample). The three pudding powders, apparently similar  in  formulation,  resulted  in  final  products  with  large  rheological  differences that  could  be ascribed  to  different  types  and  to  quantity  of  starch  present  in  the  formulation.  Generally,  the properties  of  rice  drink  based  products  were  comparable  to  those  of  the  water  systems,  while  the characteristics of soy drink based puddings were similar to those of the reference sample.