Evidence-based formulation and overall acceptability of spirulina-enriched functional ice cream

Introduction: Spirulina, a cyanobacterium recognized for its antioxidant, antiviral, and immunological properties, has been utilized for centuries as a natural source of protein and essential nutrients. Recent studies have highlighted its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, demonstrating its potential applications in managing non-communicable chronic diseases. However, the distinct flavor of spirulina can lead to low acceptability when incorporated into food products. Objective: This research aimed to develop a proposal for a functional ice cream with spirulina containing no artificial flavors or colors based on scientific evidence due to the health benefits of Spirulina platensis and to evaluate its general acceptability in trained and untrained panels. Methodology: For the collection of scientific evidence on the benefits and recommended dose of spirulina for the formulation of functional ice cream, a minireview was carried out in the indexed databases of Scopus, Embase and Pubmed. Only articles conducted in humans and with the consumption of spirulina powder were selected. For the analysis of general acceptability data, the spps and excel programs were used; for the evaluation of the nutritional profile, the Nutrisurvey software was used. Results and discussions: Our findings indicate that the formulation was better received by health and nutrition professionals, while the trained panel reported a higher accept ability for the version containing less spirulina, primarily due to the aftertaste, as it is not a common ingredient. Conclusion: New formulations with stronger flavors may be necessary to mask the aftertaste of spirulina, in order to produce an ice cream with functional properties, given that the spirulina content varies from 1 to 2 grams per serving.