Ryazhanka with pumpkin puree and flax seeds.

Introduction. The aim of this research was to study the influence of pumpkin puree and flax seeds addition on nutritional value, physicochemical and sensory properties of Ryazhanka. Materials and methods. Ryazhanka samples were prepared with the addition of pumpkin puree and flax seeds. The titrated acidity was determined by the Turner method, and the active acidity was measured using pH-meter. The fat content was determined using Gerber's acid method, and sensory evaluations were conducted by an expert panel. Results and discussion. Pumpkin puree and flax seeds were used in Ryazhanka preparation. It was shown that the addition of 4-8% flax seeds to Ryazhanka with 10% pumpkin puree reduced the titrated acidity to 64-70 °T and increased the active acidity to pH 4.6-4.7. Similarly, the addition of 4-8% flax seeds with 15% pumpkin puree reduced the titrated acidity to 61-68 °T and increased the active acidity to 4.6-4.7. When 20% pumpkin puree and 4-8% flax seeds were added simultaneously, the titrated acidity decreased to 60-65 °T, and the active acidity increased to 4.6-4.8. The optimal conditions for achieving physico-chemical stability in Ryazhanka were observed for samples added with 10% pumpkin puree and 4% flax seeds. The addition of pumpkin puree (10%) and flax seeds (4%) to Ryazhanka resulted in increased content of water-soluble vitamins, such as 0.570 mg (184% increase) of vitamin C, 0.062 mg (295% increase) of vitamin B1, 0.003 mg (2% increase) of vitamin B2, and an increase in fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin E and ß-carotene. Furthermore, the addition of flax seeds increased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the increase of omega-3 fatty acids from 0 to 0.80 g and omega-6 fatty acids from 0 to 0.20 g. Comparing the control sample, the addition of pumpkin puree and flax seeds to Ryazhanka affected its shelf life at temperatures ranging from 0 to 6 °C, extending it to no more than 7 days. Conclusions. The proposed recipe of Ryazhanka with pumpkin puree and flax seeds improves its nutrient composition, stabilizes its physicochemical parameters, enhances sensory properties, and expands the range of options to cater to the preferences of fermented milk drink consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]