Chia seeds in composition: how scientists are developing yogurt with improved properties
Chia seeds are considered a popular functional food filler. In a recent study, ITMO experts found that this supplement improves the properties of yoghurt. We talked about the results of the work, its difficulties and prospects with the authors of the study .
Spanish sage vs Russian flax
In parallel, studies were carried out to study the various properties of seeds of dark chia varieties - a product of the plant Salvia hispanica L. (Spanish sage), obtained from Uruguay, in the composition of dairy products. The seeds were added to yoghurt in conjunction with bran at a different ratio of the latter. However, when studying the control (the initial sample of yogurt) and samples with bran, it was found that oat bran does not have a serious effect on the structure of the final product and, accordingly, is not of fundamental importance from the point of view of rheology, but affects water retention.
Import substitution and the future of the project
In the form in which chia seed yogurt is presented in the article, it is a niche product, that is, it is not adapted for mass production, the researchers admit. There are two reasons for this.

First, chia seeds do not ripen in Russia, are expensive and difficult to ship, and difficult to process. The technological feature of the seeds is that in the process of mechanical grinding they quickly heat up and show the ability to form a gel, therefore, a conventional mill is indispensable here. An expensive mechanism is needed to cool the seeds, otherwise in the process of their mechanical processing they will lose a number of valuable functional and technological properties.