Grape wine lees improves the rheological and adds antioxidant properties to ice cream

The effect of adding grape wine lees (GWL) (50, 100 and 150 g kg−1, wet weight basis) on the rheological and antioxidant properties of ice cream was evaluated to determine the potential of using GWL as a value-added ingredient in ice cream. Black queen grape was selected because it was the only species for red winemaking in Taiwan. The addition of GWL decreased the specific gravity, pH, melting rate, firmness, lightness and the amount of freezable water in ice cream, but increased the viscosity, yellowness and fat destabilization in a dose dependent circumstance. However, the ice cream with high GWL contents (100 and 150 g kg−1) also showed unpleasant effects, such as the decrease of overrun and the increase of particle size of fat globule. The level of 50 g kg−1 was applicable because it improved the functionality without the disadvantages in the overrun and particle size. Furthermore, GWL significantly increased the DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power of ice cream, and also its inhibitory effect toward the oxidation of human erythrocyte membrane. It appeared that the antioxidants in GWL were quite stable to the process of ice cream making.