Physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of cashew milk formulated yoghurt

Cashew yoghurt was formulated using cashew kernel milk. The physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptic assessment of the resulting product was examined and compared with commercial yoghurts. Results indicated that crude protein of 16.8% for cashew milk yoghurt compared favorably with 14.82% of commercial yoghurt. Caloric value of cashew yoghurt (133.06 kJ) was higher than that obtained for commercial yoghurts (112.01 kJ). Microbiological study revealed a total count of 1x106 CFU/g, which was attributed to the culture used in the fermentation process. The cashew milk yoghurt was generally accepted by the panelist as there were no differences in the sensory characteristics examined; however, there was a difference at p> 0.05 for mouth feel for the sample studied. It can be concluded that cashew milk serves as a potential recipe for acceptable yoghurt formulation. Key words: Cashew kernel, yoghurt, sensory, protein, organoleptic.