SCIENTIFIC SUBSTITUTION OF THE USE OF A STABILIZING MILK-VEGETABLE ADDITIVE IN THE COMPOSITION OF EMULSION LIQUORS

Abstract

Milk-based emulsion liqueurs are complex polydisperse colloidal systems whose quality, sensory characteristics, and shelf life are largely determined by their colloidal stability. Destabilization processes such as flocculation, coalescence, creaming, and phase separation are intensified in the presence of ethyl alcohol. A decisive role in these phenomena belongs to the milk protein fraction, especially whey proteins, which are highly sensitive to pH shifts, temperature fluctuations, and changes in ionic strength. This sensitivity significantly complicates formulation design and limits the technological flexibility of traditional milk-based emulsion liqueurs.
The study substantiates the feasibility of using a stabilizing milk-plant additive as a full or partial substitute for milk in milk-based emulsion liqueur technology. The stabilizing milk-plant additive is obtained from acid whey ultrafiltrate enriched with an extract of yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) leaves and further supplemented with sodium caseinate. The extraction of biologically active compounds from dried and ground yacon leaves into the whey ultrafiltrate was optimized using mathematical experimental design, taking into account particle size, hydromodule, pH, temperature, and extraction time. The efficiency of mass transfer was evaluated by dry matter content and physicochemical indicators of the extract.
Unlike conventional milk systems, the stabilizing milk-plant additive forms a controlled protein–carbohydrate matrix in which sodium caseinate performs the function of the primary emulsifier and stabilizer of the fat phase. Establishing an equivalent sodium caseinate content relative to milk casein enables functional imitation of the milk phase in liqueurs while compensating for the absence of the natural casein complex and eliminating the destabilizing effect of whey proteins under alcohol exposure.
The developed approach ensures stable physicochemical properties, improves emulsion stability and technological reliability, reduces caloric value, enhances functional characteristics due to plant-derived bioactive compounds, and expands the assortment of modern health-oriented alcoholic beverages.