Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
Abstract
In this study, the feasibility of using buttermilk as a functional ingredient in yogurt soup, a traditional fermented dairy product, was investigated with the aim of valorizing dairy industry by-products. Soup samples prepared with different buttermilk ratios (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were evaluated for their physicochemical and sensory properties, aroma and amino acid profiles, antioxidant capacity, and antidiabetic activity. The incorporation of buttermilk resulted in statistically significant differences in total solids, ash, and titratable acidity (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in fat, protein, or pH values. Increasing buttermilk levels led to higher L* and b* values and lower a* values. Sensory analysis showed that flavor scores increased with buttermilk content, with the highest score observed in the sample containing 100% buttermilk (T5). In the control sample, hexanoic acid, benzoic acid, acetic acid, methyl salicylate, and several ketones were identified as dominant aroma compounds, whereas buttermilk-enriched samples were characterized mainly by hexanoic acid, acetic acid, butanoic acid, ethyl acetate, higher alcohols, and ethanol. Increasing buttermilk content resulted in a higher proportion of alcohols and a reduction in acids, ketones, and aldehydes. Samples with higher buttermilk levels exhibited increased essential amino acid content, while functional amino acids such as γ-aminobutyric acid, β-aminoisobutyric acid, ethanolamine, proline, and alanine reached their highest levels in the T5 sample. The T5 sample showed a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 5.98%, whereas the highest α-amylase inhibition was observed in the control sample. Overall, the results indicate that buttermilk can be effectively used as a functional ingredient in yogurt soup formulations, improving nutritional quality and sensory characteristics.
DOI
10.55730/1300-011X.3497
Keywords
Buttermilk, Yogurt soup, Functional foods, Aroma profile, Antioxidant activity, Amino acid composition
First Page
699
Last Page
716
Publisher
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
MACİT, E, & ÖZYILMAZ, F. Z (2026). Valorization of buttermilk as a functional ingredient in yogurt soup: effects on physicochemical properties, aroma profile, amino acid composition, and bioactivities. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 50 (5): 699-716. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-011X.3497