Product Development of Mango Cinnamon Kombucha Sorbet with Inulin and Guar Gum

Lim, Zhi Xuan (2025) Product Development of Mango Cinnamon Kombucha Sorbet with Inulin and Guar Gum. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Kombucha, a functional fermented beverage, has gained global popularity due to its numerous health benefits, such as detoxification, antioxidant protection, improved gastrointestinal function, and immune support. Sorbets, which are dairy- and fat-free frozen desserts, require stabilizers due to their high water content. Despite the growing consumption of kombucha, research on kombucha-based sorbets remains limited. This study investigates the effects of incorporating inulin and guar gum on the physicochemical properties (pH, total soluble solid, viscosity, overrun and melting rate), antioxidant properties (total phenolic content and DPPH activity), microbial count (lactic acid bacteria count), and sensory attributes of mango cinnamon kombucha sorbet. Mango cinnamon kombucha (MCK) was produced by fermenting sweetened black tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Two mango cinnamon kombucha sorbet variants were created: one without inulin and guar gum (MCKS) and one with 5% inulin and 0.2% guar gum (MCKSIG). Results indicated that MCKS and MCKSIG had significantly higher (p < 0.05) pH levels than MCK, though the addition of inulin and guar gum did not significantly impact pH between the sorbet variants. MCKSIG exhibited the highest total soluble solids and viscosity. Furthermore, MCKSIG showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher overrun and lower melting rates compared to MCKS. While total phenolic content (TPC) and DPPH activity were lower (p < 0.05) in MCKS and MCKSIG compared to MCK, inulin and guar gum enhanced TPC in MCKSIG but did not influence DPPH activity. Lactic acid bacteria counts were unaffected by freezing, with no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the samples. Sensory evaluation revealed that MCKSIG had significantly higher (p < 0.05) smoothness and overall acceptability, with 67.65% of panelists preferring MCKSIG over MCKS. Future studies are proposed to explore the development of other frozen desserts incorporating inulin and guar gum to further enhance texture and improve the sensory attributes of such products.