Effect of incorporation of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) on the physicochemical and bromatological characteristics and shelf-life of buffalo milk yogurt

In the dairy industry, fermented products are traditionally made with cow's milk, however, recently other ingredients have been used that give different qualities to the final product; among them is buffalo milk, which has distinctive characteristics and is rarely utilized industrially in Colombia, for this reason, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) on the physicochemical and bromatological properties and shelf-life of buffalo milk yogurt. First, an aloe vera sauce was made, which was added to buffalo milk yogurt in three percentages (5, 10, and 15 %), and one was chosen using a preference ordering test. Subsequently, the selected product was evaluated for physicochemical and bromatological parameters and mineral content. The shelf-life was also calculated using an accelerated shelf-life study at temperatures of 5, 15, 25, and 35 °C. According to the sensory panel the best yogurt was the sample with 15 % of aloe vera sauce. For the bromatological analysis, it was found that the final product had 2.57 % protein, 5.87 % fat, 0.49 % ash, and 74.9 % moisture. Shelf-life calculations yielded an average of 28.6 days. It is concluded that aloe vera positively impacted the bromatological parameters and mineral content of buffalo milk yogurt.