Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Rheological and Textural Properties of Functional Yoghurt Containing Microencapsulated Saffron Petal Extract with Sodium Caseinate

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Atie Jalilian Rastgou 1
Hojjat Karazhiyan 2
1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
2 Department of Food Science and Technology, ToH.C., Islamic Azad University, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran
10.48311/fsct.2026.118838.83029
Abstract
Saffron petals, as a by-product of saffron processing, are a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins; however, the high sensitivity of these compounds to environmental conditions limits their direct application in food products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rheological and textural properties of functional yogurt enriched with sodium caseinate–microencapsulated saffron petal extract. For this purpose, saffron petal extract was microencapsulated using sodium caseinate at a wall-to-core ratio of 7:1 and incorporated into yogurt at levels of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3%. Rheological properties, including apparent viscosity, shear stress, and flow behavior, were investigated using the Power Law and Herschel–Bulkley models. In addition, textural properties (hardness), syneresis, and anthocyanin content of the samples were evaluated. The results indicated that all samples exhibited non-Newtonian shear-thinning (pseudoplastic) behavior. Increasing the concentration of the microencapsulated powder significantly enhanced apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient, and yield stress. The addition of the microencapsulated extract improved yogurt texture by increasing hardness and significantly reducing syneresis. Moreover, sodium caseinate–based microencapsulation played an effective role in preserving anthocyanins within the yogurt matrix. Overall, the use of sodium caseinate–microencapsulated saffron petal extract can be considered an efficient approach to improving the rheological, textural, and functional properties of functional yogurt.
Keywords
Functional yogurt
Saffron petal
Microencapsulation
Rheological properties
Textural properties
Syneresis
Anthocyanin
Subjects
[1] Rahaiee, S., Moini, S., Hashemi, M., & Shojaosadati, S.A. (2015). Evaluation of antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds and various extracts obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.): a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(4),1881-8. doi: 10.1007/s13197-013-1238-x. Epub 2014 Mar 11. PMID: 25829569; PMCID: PMC4375186.
[2] Bakshi, R. A., Sodhi, N. S., Wani, I. A., Khan, Z. S., Dhillon, B., & Gani, A. (2022). Bioactive constituents of saffron plant: extraction, encapsulation and their food and pharmaceutical applications. Applied Food Research, 2(1), 100076.
[3] Korhonen, H. (2002). Technology option for new nutritional concepts. International Journal of Dairy Technology,55(2),79-88.
[4] Fang, Z., & Bhandari, B. (2010). Encapsulation of polyphenols–a review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 21(10), 510–523.
[5] Goyal, M., & Sharma, V. (2011). Caseinate based microencapsulation systems for delivery of food bio actives. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 48(2), 152–157.
[6] Kaur, H., Kaur, G., & Ali, S. A. (2022). Dairy-Based Probiotic-Fermented Functional Foods: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties. Fermentation, 8(9), 425. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8090425
[7] Khalili, A., Tavakoilpour, H., Roozbeh-Nasiraie, L., & Kalbasi-Ashtari, A. (2021). Research Article: Comparison of free and nano-encapsulated Safran (Crocus sativus L.) petal extract effects on some quality indexes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets. Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 20 (4) :961-985
[8] Popescu, L., Cojocari, D., Lung, I., Kacso, I., Ciorîţă, A., Ghendov-Mosanu, A., Balan, G., Pintea, A., & Sturza, R. (2023). Effect of microencapsulated basil extract on cream cheese quality and stability. Molecules, 28(8), 3305.
[9] Cerdá-Bernad, D., Valero-Cases, E., Pastor, J.J., & Frutos, M.J. (2023). Microencapsulated saffron floral waste extracts as functional ingredients for antioxidant fortification of yogurt: Stability during the storage. LWT,184,114976.
[10] Bayram, O.Y., Kinik, O., & Büyükkileci, C. (2025). Functional and phenolic characterization of medicinal plant-enriched strained yogurt: bioactivity and storage stability. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 19, 7557 - 7570.
[11] Jalilian Rastgou, A., & Karazhiyan, H. (2025). Microencapsulation of Saffron Petal Extract Using Sodium Caseinate: Physiochemical Properties and Stability. Saffron Agronomy & Technology, Submitted manuscript.
[12] Akgün, D., M. Gültekin-Özgüven, A. Yücetepe, et al. (2020). Stirred Type Yoghurt Incorporated with Sour Cherry Extract in Chitosan Coated Liposomes. Food Hydrocolloids, 101,105532. https://doi.org/10. (1016) ./j.foodhyd. (2019). (1055).32.
[13] de Campo, C., Queiroz Assis, R., Marques da Silva, M., Haas Costa, T. M., Paese, K., Stanisçuaski Guterres, S., de Oliveira Rios, A., & Hickmann Flôres, S. (2019). Incorporation of zeaxanthin nanoparticles in yogurt: Influence on physicochemical properties, carotenoid stability and sensory analysis. Food chemistry, 301, 125230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125230
[14] Oladzad Abbasabadi, N., Karazhiyan, H., & Keyhani, V., 2017, Addition of the chubak extract and egg white on biophysical properties of grape juice during evaporation process. Journal of Food Process Engineering, 40(5), 12538.
[15] Lee, J., Rennaker, C. & Wrolstad, R. E. (2008). Correlation of two anthocyanin quantification methods: HPLC and spectrophotometric methods. Food chemistry, 110, 782-786.
[16] Alaee,M., & Karazhiyan, H. (2022). Physicochemical, Textural, Sensorial and Functional Properties of Ice Cream Containing Glucomannan Konjac as Stabilizer. Journal of food science and technology (Iran), 19(123), 93-104. doi: 10.52547/fsct.19.123.93.
[17] Minhas, K.S., Sidhu, J.S., Mudahar, G.S., & Singh, A.K. (2002). Flow behavior characteristics of ice cream mix made with buffalo milk and various stabilizers. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 57: 25-40.
[18] Goff, H. D., & Hartel, R. W. (2013). Ice Cream. Springer Science & Business Media.
[19] Behnia, A., Karazhiyan, H., Niazmand, R., & Mohammadi Nafchi, A. (2013) Rheological properties of low-fat yogurt containing cress seed gum. Agricultural Sciences, 4, 29-32. doi: 10.4236/as.2013.49B005.
[20] Tamime, A.Y., & Robinson, R.K. (2007) Tamime and Robinson’s yoghurt. 3rd Edition, Woodhead Publishing Limited and CRC Press, New York.
[21] Ardestani, F., Haghighi Asl, A. & Rafe, A. (2024). Characterization of caseinate-pectin complex coacervates as a carrier for delivery and controlled-release of saffron extract. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture, 11, 118. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-024-00647-0
[22] Roullet, M., Clegg, P. S., & Frith, W. J. (2019). Viscosity of protein‑stabilized emulsions: contributions of components and development of a semi‑predictive model. Journal of Rheology, 63 (1).
[23] Sodini, I., Remeuf, F., Haddad, S., & Corrieu, G. (2004). The relative effect of milk base, starter, and process on yogurt texture: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 44(2), 113–137.
[24] Madene, A., Jacquot, M., Scher, J., & Desobry, S. (2006). Flavor encapsulation and controlled release – a review. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 41(1), 1–21.
[25] Lucey, J. A. (2001) The relationship between rheological parameters and whey separation in milk gels. Food Hydrocolloids, 15, 603–608.
[26] Shah N. P. (2000). Effects of milk-derived bio actives: an overview. The British journal of nutrition, 84 Suppl 1, S3–S10. https://doi.org/10.1017/s000711450000218x
[27] Özmert Ergin, S., Gün, İ., Kara, R., Soyuçok, A., & Albayrak Karaoğlu, A. (2024). The Physicochemical, Textural, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Skimmed Buffalo Milk Yoghurt with Tragacanth Gum During Storage. Food Technology Biotechnology,62(2),205-217.
[28] Turgut T., & Diler A.  (2025). Investigation of the physicochemical and textural properties of yogurt made from milk with different somatic cell count. NanoEra,5(1), 9-15
[29] Lu, Y., Zhang, B., Shen, H., Ge, X., Sun, X., Zhang, Q., Zhang, X., Sun, Z., & Li, W. (2022). Sodium Caseinate and Acetylated Mung Bean Starch for the Encapsulation of Lutein: Enhanced Solubility and Stability of Lutein. Foods, 11(1):65.
[30] Pudziuvelyte, L., Marksa, M., Jakstas, V., Ivanauskas, L., Kopustinskiene, D. M., & Bernatoniene, J. (2019). Microencapsulation of Elsholtzia ciliata Herb Ethanolic Extract by Spray-Drying: Impact of Resistant-Maltodextrin Complemented with Sodium Caseinate, Skim Milk, and Beta-Cyclodextrin on the Quality of Spray-Dried Powders. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 24(8), 1461. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24081461
[31] Xie, S., Qu, P., Luo, S., & Wang, C. (2022). Graduate Student Literature Review: Potential uses of milk proteins as encapsulation walls for bioactive compounds. Journal of dairy science, 105(10), 7959–7971. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21127
[32] Gorji, SG., Gorji, EG., & Mohammadi far, MA. (2014). Characterization of gum tragacanth (Astragalus gossypinus)/sodium caseinate complex coacervation as a function of pH in an aqueous medium. Food Hydrocolloids,34,161–8.