Development and characterization of a vegan, reduced-calorie chocolate ice cream based on cauliflower

Amit Cohen; Levi  Iliayev; Mario Burgos-Aceves; Yoav  Smith

Authors

Amit Cohen Genomic data analysis unit, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel; Food Science Program, Faculty of Science, Tel-Hai University of Kiryat Shmona and the Galilee, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
Levi Iliayev Food Science Program, Faculty of Science, Tel-Hai University of Kiryat Shmona and the Galilee, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
Mario Alberto Burgos-Aceves Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS-CIACyT), Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
Yoav Smith Genomic data analysis unit, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel

Keywords:

Cauliflower, vegan ice cream, functional foods, upcycling, saturated fat and sugar reduction

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop and characterize ReCream, a novel vegan, reduced-calorie chocolate ice cream incorporating cauliflower as the primary ingredient (33% by weight). The aim was to design a nutritionally enhanced frozen dessert that complies with Israeli front-of-pack nutritional labeling regulations and avoids warning labels for high sugar or saturated fat. Physicochemical properties (°Brix, overrun, melting rate, and hardness) were evaluated and compared with a control formulation lacking cauliflower. ReCream exhibited higher soluble solids (p = 5.4 x 10^-5), reduced overrun (p = 0.019), and a slower melting rate (p = 0.017), while maintaining comparable hardness (p = 0.3). Sensory evaluation (n = 16) showed an average overall acceptability score of 4.1 out of 5, with 81% of panelists reporting no detectable cauliflower flavor. These results demonstrate that cauliflower can serve as a functional and sustainable base ingredient in vegan ice cream formulations, improving nutritional quality while maintaining desirable sensory characteristics.

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