Journals / Gıda / 2026 / Cilt: 51 Sayı: 5

FUNCTIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF VEGAN WALNUT-BASED BEVERAGE THROUGH DATE PULP FORTIFICATION

HURMA PULPU İLE ZENGİNLEŞTİRİLMİŞ CEVİZ BAZLI VEGAN İÇECEĞİN FONKSİYONEL ÖZELLİKLERİNİN GELİŞTİRİLMESİ

Hilal Meral(TOKAT GAZİOSMANPAŞA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-6238-7958
Osama Arran(TOKAT GAZIOSMANPASA UNIVERSITY)0009-0008-1944-4513
Aslihan Demirdöven(TOKAT GAZIOSMANPASA UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-1246-9132
Journal
Gıda
Pages
947–958
Publication Date
2026-10-13
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings revealed that the addition of date pulp at a level of 15% significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity, resulting in increases of approximately 120%, 53%, and 51% in ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP values, respectively.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The increasing prevalence of lactose intolerance, the growing adoption of vegan dietary patterns, and rising consumer awareness of environmental sustainability have substantially driven the demand for plant-based milk alternatives.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The findings revealed that the addition of date pulp at a level of 15% significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity, resulting in increases of approximately 120%, 53%, and 51% in ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP values, respectively.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:In summary, this study demonstrates that date pulp has significant potential as a natural and functional ingredient for the development of innovative vegan milk alternatives enriched with bioactive compounds.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Vegan · bitkisel süt · ceviz

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of lactose intolerance, the growing adoption of vegan dietary patterns, and rising consumer awareness of environmental sustainability have substantially driven the demand for plant-based milk alternatives. In this study, a novel walnut-based vegan beverage enriched with date pulp (Phoenix dactylifera L.), a rich source of natural sugars, dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds, was developed, and the effects of this fortification on functional and physicochemical properties were investigated. The findings revealed that the addition of date pulp at a level of 15% significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity, resulting in increases of approximately 120%, 53%, and 51% in ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP values, respectively. A 31% increase in total phenolic content was also observed. Furthermore, total soluble solids and viscosity increased, while protein content rose from 5.60% to 7.19%. Date pulp addition significantly affected the color parameters of the product. In summary, this study demonstrates that date pulp has significant potential as a natural and functional ingredient for the development of innovative vegan milk alternatives enriched with bioactive compounds.

Özet

Artan laktoz intoleransı prevalansı, vegan beslenme eğilimlerinin yaygınlaşması ve sürdürülebilirlik odaklı tüketici farkındalığı, bitki bazlı süt alternatiflerine olan talebi hızla artırmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, doğal şekerler, diyet lifi ve biyoaktif bileşiklerce zengin hurma pulpu (Phoenix dactylifera L.) ile zenginleştirilmiş ceviz bazlı yenilikçi bir vegan içecek geliştirilmiş ve bu zenginleştirmenin fonksiyonel ve fizikokimyasal özellikler üzerindeki etkileri incelenmiştir. Bulgular, %15 oranında hurma pulpu ilavesinin antioksidan kapasiteyi istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde artırdığını ve ABTS, DPPH ile FRAP değerlerinde sırasıyla yaklaşık %120, %53 ve %51 oranlarında yükselme sağladığını ortaya koymuştur. Toplam fenolik madde içeriğinde %31 oranında artış belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, toplam çözünür kuru madde ve viskozite değerlerinde artış gözlenmiş olup, protein içeriğinin %5.60’tan %7.19’a yükseldiği tespit edilmiştir. Hurma pulpu ilavesi, ürünün renk parametrelerini önemli ölçüde etkilemiştir. Özetle, bu çalışma, hurma pulpunun biyoaktif bileşiklerce zenginleştirilmiş yenilikçi vegan süt alternatiflerinin geliştirilmesinde doğal ve fonksiyonel bir bileşen olarak önemli bir potansiyele sahip olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Meral, H., Arran, O., Demirdöven, A. (2026). FUNCTIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF VEGAN WALNUT-BASED BEVERAGE THROUGH DATE PULP FORTIFICATION. Gıda, Cilt: 51 Sayı: 5, 947–958. https://doi.org/10.15237/gida.GD26035

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (52)

  1. AACC. (2004). Approved Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (11th ed., Vol. 1). AACC Press.
  2. Al Juhaimi, F., Ghafoor, K., Özcan, M. M. (2014). Physicochemical properties and mineral contents of seven different date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties growing from Saudi Arabia. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186(4), 2165–2170. https://doi. org/10.1007/s10661-013-3526-3
  3. Alam, M. Z., Alhebsi, M. S. R., Ghnimi, S., Kamal-Eldin, A. (2021). Inability of total antioxidant activity assays to accurately assess the phenolic compounds of date palm fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.). NFS Journal, 22, 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nfs.2021.01.001
  4. Al-Farsi, M., Alasalvar, C., Morris, A., Baron, M., Shahidi, F. (2005). Comparison of Antioxidant Activity, Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Phenolics of Three Native Fresh and Sun-Dried Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Varieties Grown in Oman. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53(19), 7592–7599. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf050579q
  5. Al-Hooti, S. N., Sidhu, J. S., Al-Saqer, J. M., Al-Othman, A. (2002). Chemical composition and quality of date syrup as affected by pectinase/cellulase enzyme treatment. Food Chemistry, 79(2), 215–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(02)00134-6
  6. Ali, A., Khalid, S., Irfan, A., Din, A. (2023). Formulation and evaluation of date syrup flavored soy milk yogurt, a novel plant based alternative of dairy products. In Presented at the 4th International Electronic Conference on Foods (s. 30).
  7. Ali, W., Rafiq, S., Hayat, I., Hussain, I., Murtaza, A., Gul, R. & Ahmed, R. (2025). Development and nutritional evaluation of walnut (Juglans regia L.) milk during storage. Journal of Microbiological Sciences, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.38211/jms.2025.04.150
  8. Al-Jasass, F. M., Siddiq, M., Sogi, D. S. (2015). Antioxidants activity and color evaluation of date fruit of selected cultivars commercially available in the United States. Advances in Chemistry, 1–5. https://doi. org/10.1155/2015/567203
  9. Almoumen, A., Mohamed, H., Sobti, B., Ayyash, M., Kamleh, R., Al-Marzouqi, A. H., Kamal-Eldin, A. (2025). Quality of bread rolls fortified with date fruit pomace: Structure, proximate composition, staling, and sensory evaluation. NFS Journal, 38, 100214. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.nfs.2025.100214
  10. Al-Shwyeh, H. A. (2019). Date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit as potential antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Journal of Pharmacy And Bioallied Sciences, 11(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.4103/JPBS. JPBS_168_18
  11. Amira, E. A., Behija, S. E., Beligh, M., Lamia, L., Manel, I., Mohamed, H., Lotfi, A. (2012). Effects of the ripening stage on phenolic profile, phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of date palm fruit. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(44), 10896–10902. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf302602v
  12. AOAC. (1920). 4.5.01 AOAC Official Method 920.39 Fat (Crude) or Ether Extract in Animal Feed. AOAC International Publisher
  13. AOAC. (1995). Official methods of analyses. Association of Official Analytical Chemists (15th ed.; W. G. Latimer & W. Horwitz, Eds.). AOAC International Publisher.
  14. AOAC. (2000). Official Methods of Analyses (17th ed.; G. Latimer & W. Horwitz, Eds.). AOAC International Publisher.
  15. Aydar, E. F., Tutuncu, S., Ozcelik, B. (2020). Plant-based milk substitutes: Bioactive compounds, conventional and novel processes, bioavailability studies, and health effects. Journal of Functional Foods, 70, 103975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.103975
  16. Benzie, I. F. F., Strain, J. J. (1996). The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of “antioxidant power”: The FRAP Assay. Analytical Biochemistry, 239(1), 70–76. https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1996.0292
  17. Bernard, A., Lheureux, F., Dirlewanger, E. (2018). Walnut: past and future of genetic improvement. Tree Genetics & Genomes, 14(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-017-1214-0
  18. Beyhan, O., Ozcan, A., Ozcan, H., Kafkas, E., Kafkas, S., Sutyemez, M., Ercisli, S. (2017). Fat, fatty acids and tocopherol content of several walnut genotypes. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, 45(2), 437–441. https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha45210932
  19. Bouhlali, E. dine T., Ramchoun, M., Alem, C., Ghafoor, K., Ennassir, J., Zegzouti, Y. F. (2017). Functional composition and antioxidant activities of eight Moroccan date fruit varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 16(3), 257–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.08.005
  20. Brand-Williams, W., Cuvelier, M. E., Berset, C. (1995). Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 28(1), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5
  21. Carey, C. N., Paquette, M., Sahye-Pudaruth, S., Dadvar, A., Dinh, D., Khodabandehlou, K. & Jenkins, D. A. (2023). The environmental sustainability of plant-based dietary patterns: a scoping review. The Journal of Nutrition, 153(3), 857–869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. tjnut.2023.02.001
  22. Christopoulos, M. V., Tsantili, E. (2015). Oil composition in stored walnut cultivars-quality and nutritional value. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 117(3), 338–348. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.201400082
  23. Decloedt, A., Van Landschoot, A., Watson, H., Vanderputten, D., Vanhaecke, L. (2017). Plant-based beverages as good sources of free and glycosidic plant sterols. Nutrients, 10(1), 21. https://doi. org/10.3390/nu10010021
  24. Deshpande, N. M., Deshpande, M. M., Dravyaguna, D. (2017). Date fruit (Phoenix Dactylifera Linn) – a review on nutritional values, phytochemical and pharmacological actions. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 419–426. https://doi.org/10.20959/wjpr20178-8943
  25. Dghaim, R., Hammami, Z., Al Ghali, R., Smail, L., Haroun, D. (2021). The mineral composition of date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) under low to high salinity irrigation. Molecules, 26(23), 7361. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26237361
  26. Franke, S. I. R., Ckless, K., Silveira, J. D., Rubensam, G., Brendel, M., Erdtmann, B. & Henriques, J. A. P. (2004). Study of antioxidant and mutagenic activity of different orange juices. Food Chemistry, 88(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.01.021
  27. Gonçalves, G. C. V., Catharina Weis, C. M. S., Wolff, É. R., Alves, V., Sanches, F. L., Tormen, L. & Bertan, L. C. (2024). Vegan Fermented Drinks as an Alternative to Milk: Trend or Challenge? Food Science and Engineering, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.37256/fse.6120255396
  28. Hargreaves, S. M., Rosenfeld, D. L., Moreira, A. V. B., Zandonadi, R. P. (2023). Plant-based and vegetarian diets: an overview and definition of these dietary patterns. European Journal of Nutrition, 62(3), 1109–1121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03086-z
  29. Haris, S., Alam, M., Galiwango, E., Mohamed, M. M., Kamal-Eldin, A., Al-Marzouqi, A. H. (2023). Characterization analysis of date fruit pomace: An underutilized waste bioresource rich in dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants. Waste Management, 163, 34–42. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.03.027
  30. Hu, R., Lin, L., Liu, T., Ouyang, P., He, B., Liu, S. (2008). Reducing Sugar Content in Hemicellulose Hydrolysate by DNS Method: A Revisit. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, 2(2), 156–161. https://doi.org/10.1166/jbmb.2008.306
  31. Khalid, S., Khalid, N., Khan, R. S., Ahmed, H., Ahmad, A. (2017). A review on chemistry and pharmacology of Ajwa date fruit and pit. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 63, 60–69. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.tifs.2017.02.009
  32. Ling, Y., Cheng, L., Bai, X., Li, Z., Dai, J., Ren, D. (2023). Effects of Microfluidization on the Physical and Storage Stability of Walnut Protein Emulsion and Beverages. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 78(2), 467–475. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-023-01073-7
  33. Liu, M., Li, C., Cao, C., Wang, L., Li, X., Che, J. & Liu, X. (2021). Walnut Fruit Processing Equipment: Academic Insights and Perspectives. Food Engineering Reviews, 13(4), 822–857. https://doi. org/10.1007/s12393-020-09273-6
  34. Muñoz-Tebar, N., Viuda-Martos, M., Lorenzo, J. M., Fernandez-Lopez, J., Perez-Alvarez, J. A. (2023). Strategies for the Valorization of Date Fruit and Its Co-Products: A New Ingredient in the Development of Value-Added Foods. Foods, 12(7), 1456. https://doi. org/10.3390/foods12071456
  35. Ni, Z. J., Zhang, Y. G., Chen, S. X., Thakur, K., Wang, S., Zhang, J.G. & Wei, Z.J. (2022). Exploration of walnut components and their association with health effects. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62(19), 5113–5129. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.20 21.1881439
  36. Nkechi Juliet Tamuno, E. (2019). Physicochemical, Mineral and Sensory Characteristics of Cashew Nut Milk. International Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology, 4(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.11648/j. ijfsb.20190401.11
  37. Ouamnina, A., Alahyane, A., Elateri, I., Boutasknit, A., Abderrazik, M. (2024). Relationship between Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Some Moroccan Date Palm Fruit Varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.): A Two-Year Study. Plants, 13(8), 1119. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081119
  38. Pérez-Rodríguez, M. L., Serrano-Carretero, A., García-Herrera, P., Cámara-Hurtado, M., Sánchez-Mata, M. C. (2023). Plant-based beverages as milk alternatives? Nutritional and functional approach through food labelling. Food Research International, 173, 113244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113244
  39. Popova, A., Mihaylova, D., Lante, A. (2023). Insights and Perspectives on Plant-Based Beverages. Plants, 12(19), 3345. https://doi. org/10.3390/plants12193345
  40. Rabadán, A., Pardo, J. E., Gómez, R., Álvarez-Ortí, M. (2018). Evaluation of physical parameters of walnut and walnut products obtained by cold pressing. LWT, 91, 308–314. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.lwt.2018.01.061
  41. Rangaraj, V. M., Rambabu, K., Banat, F., Mittal, V. (2021). Effect of date fruit waste extract as an antioxidant additive on the properties of active gelatin films. Food Chemistry, 355, 129631. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129631
  42. Re, R., Pellegrini, N., Proteggente, A., Pannala, A., Yang, M., Rice-Evans, C. (1999). Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 26(9–10), 1231–1237. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5849(98)00315-3
  43. Saleh, E. A., Tawfik, M. S., Abu-Tarboush, H. M. (2011). Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Various Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Fruits from Saudi Arabia. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2(10), 1134–1141. https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2011.210152
  44. Sethi, S., Tyagi, S. K., Anurag, R. K. (2016). Plant-based milk alternatives an emerging segment of functional beverages: a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(9), 3408–3423. https://doi. org/10.1007/s13197-016-2328-3
  45. Shahdadi, F., Mirzaei, H. O., Daraei Garmakhany, A. (2015). Study of phenolic compound and antioxidant activity of date fruit as a function of ripening stages and drying process. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(3), 1814–1819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-013-1177-6
  46. Singh, V., Guizani, N., Essa, M. M., Hakkim, F. L. (2012). Comparative analysis of total phenolics, flavonoid content and antioxidant profile of different date varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.) from Sultanate of Oman. International Food Research Journal, 19 (3).
  47. Szymandera-Buszka, K., Jankowska, A., Jędrusek-Golińska, A., Jarzębski, M., Karwik, A., Anioła, J. & Pawlicz, J. (2025). Analysis of Sensory Attributes and Purchasing Decisions of Plant-Based Beverages of Young Consumers in Poland on a Vegan and Traditional Diet. Foods, 14(21), 3672. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14213672
  48. Tapia, M. I., Sánchez-Morgado, J. R., García-Parra, J., Ramírez, R., Hernández, T., González-Gómez, D. (2013). Comparative study of the nutritional and bioactive compounds content of four walnut (Juglans regia L.) cultivars. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 31(2), 232–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2013.06.004
  49. Tobolková, B., Durec, J. (2023). Colour descriptors for plant-based milk alternatives discrimination. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 60(9), 2497–2501. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-023-05773-5
  50. Toledo-Merma, P. R., Arias-Santé, M. F., Rincón-Cervera, M. Á., Porras, O., Bridi, R., Rhein, S. & de Camargo, A. C. (2024). Phenolic Fractions from Walnut Milk Residue: Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxic Potential. Plants, 13(24), 3473. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243473
  51. TÜİK (2024). Bitkisel Üretim İstatistikleri. https://veriportali.tuik. gov.tr/
  52. Wirkijowska, A., Teterycz, D., Zarzycki, P. (2025). The Impact of Nut-Based Plant Beverages on Wheat Bread Quality: A Study of Almond, Hazelnut, and Walnut Beverages. Applied Sciences, 15(16), 8821. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15168821