Physical and sensory characteristics and probiotic survival in ice cream sweetened with various polyols

The effect of polyols (xylitol, erythritol, maltitol and isomalt) on physical and sensory properties of probiotic ice cream, as well as the survival of Bifidobacterium BB ‐12 during freezing over 28 days of frozen storage, was investigated. The control sample of ice cream, sweetened with sugar, showed a lower pH and higher overrun than those sweetened with polyols. The viable bifidobacteria counts remained above 8 log cfu/g in all samples. The amount of erythritol added was not enough to obtain a similar sweetness as in control, but too high to get an ice cream with good textural properties.