Addition of Soluble Soybean Polysaccharides to Dairy Products as a Source of Dietary Fiber

  Increasing consumption of dietary fiber in food leads to many important health benefits: for example, reduction in blood cholesterol, reduced risk of diabetes, and improved laxation. Water soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS) is a dietary fiber extracted and refined from okara, a byproduct of soy manufacturing. It was incorporated into 3 categories of dairy‐based products, thickened milkshake‐style beverages, puddings, and low‐fat ice cream, to the maximum amount without over‐texturing the food. Rheological measurements and sensory tests were used to develop desirable SSPS‐fortified products. From the rheological data, 4% SSPS‐fortified dairy beverages and 4% SSPS ‐fortified puddings were in the range of commercial products. From sensory analyses, 4% SSPS‐fortified dairy beverage with 0.015%κ−carrageenan, 4% SSPS‐fortified pudding with 0.1%κ−carrageenan, and 2% SSPS‐fortified low‐fat ice cream gained the highest scores in consumer hedonic rating. Panelists also indicated their willingness to consume those products if they were available commercially. Practical Application:  Since the dietary fiber intake of many people is below their suggested adequate intake values, strategies to successfully fortify foods with fiber may help alleviate this gap. We have developed 3 dairy products, a beverage, a pudding, and a low‐fat ice cream, that have been fortified with soluble soybean polysaccharide at levels of 4%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. These products were within acceptable ranges of rheological parameters and other physical stability measurements and were judged to be acceptable by sensory analyses.