Investigation of the changes in rheological properties and some quality characteristics of probiotic fermented almond milk with added different ratios of orange juice

In this study, the changes in pH, titratable acidity, survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus, mold and yeast counts, rheological properties, and sensory evaluation of fermented almond milk samples with and without added 100% orange juice at three different ratios (10%, 20%, and 30%) were investigated. pH and titratable acidity values of fermented almond milk samples varied between 3.97–4.40 and 0.178%–0.478% at the end of the fermentation process, respectively. It was determined that the survival of L. acidophilus content of fermented samples varied between 7.58 and 7.95 log CFU/ml. The best suitable rheological model for the flow behavior of all fermented almond milk samples was the Power-Law model. Fermented almond milk samples with added 20% and 30% orange juice was more preferred by the panelists. It is thought that the results of this study could provide valuable information for equipment and pumping systems that can be installed on an industrial scale. Practical applications: In recent years, cereals (oats, rice, corn), legumes (soybean, cowpea, chickpea), oilseeds (sesame, sunflower, flaxseed), and hard-shelled fruits (almond, coconut, hazelnut, peanut, walnut) is widely used in the production of plant milk. In this study, the changes in some quality and rheological properties of fermented almond milk samples with added different ratios of orange juice were investigated. It was determined that all fermented almond milk samples had high probiotic content at the end of the fermentation stage. As a result of the sensory evaluation, it was determined that the acceptability of fermented almond milk with added 20% and 30% orange juice was very high compared to other samples.