Hybrid high-protein yogurt made with partial replacement of milk proteins by pea proteins

Milk proteins are known for their exceptional nutritional and technological attributes, making them a staple in the food industry. Nonetheless, the partial substitution of milk proteins with plant-based proteins in dairy products may be an effective strategy to meet the increasing consumer demand for a reduction in the consumption of animal-derived proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of partial substitution (25% and 50%) of milk proteins with pea protein on the manufacturing and technological attributes of high-protein yogurt during refrigerated storage. The replacement of up to 50% of the milk proteins with pea protein did not alter the fermentation time and all yogurts had a total lactic acid bacteria count greater than 107 CFU g⁻¹ after manufacturing. However, replacing 50% of milk proteins with pea protein affected the pH, syneresis, water holding capacity, consistency, firmness, viscosity index, and cohesiveness of the yogurts. In turn, no effect was observed on the pH, syneresis, water holding capacity, firmness, and cohesiveness of the product after replacing 25% of the dairy base with pea protein (P >0.05). Hence, the findings indicate that substituting 25% of the milk protein with pea protein in high-protein yogurts can be achieved without compromising the product's stability.