Pomelo Fiber-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsion Gels: Fat Mimetic in Plant-Based Ice Cream

Plant-based ice cream has become a popular option among consumers as it represents a healthy lifestyle. A critical challenge in current research is creating a stable, oil-based system as a cream substitute. This study investigates using a pomelo fiber and soy protein isolate-based emulsion as a viable cream substitute in ice cream. Findings demonstrate that pomelo fiber, combined with soy protein isolate, effectively stabilizes corn oil, forming an oil-in-water emulsion gel. Increasing the proportion of pomelo fiber increases the elastic modulus of the emulsion, reduces the average particle size, and improves stability. The gel emulsion oil enhances stability, reduces the ice cream slurry’s stability index, and improves overrun rate and melt resistance. Sensory evaluation confirmed that the emulsion gel, based on pomelo fiber and soy isolate protein, acts as an effective and novel fat mimetic in plant-based ice creams and delivers lower calorie or healthier fat, offering a groundbreaking method for replacing traditional fats in their formulation.