# Influence of Plant-Based Structuring Ingredients on Physicochemical Properties of Whey Ice Creams
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Rheological Characteristics
Consequently, \(\beta\)-glucan and combinations of 3% complex mix with beet were found to be the most effective ingredients in improving the texture of the resulting ice creams. Figure 2 shows the complex viscosity, the storage modulus (G\({}^{\prime}\)), loss modulus (G\({}^{\prime\prime}\)), and tan delta of samples 1-3. Analysis of the viscoelastic behavior of the control sample reveals the formation of a weak gel, despite the presence of a stabilization system in the control mixture (Figure 2a,b). Hence, the stabilization effect was insufficient and required strengthening. This can be attributed to the ice cream low solid content, which resulted in a high proportion of free water. Addressing this requires the incorporation of ingredients with high moisture-binding capacity in the mixture. Figure 1: Ultrasonic viscosity of ice cream mixes. The differences between values denoted by different letters (a–e) are statistically significant at \(p\leq 0.05\). Similar changes in moduli values were observed for samples containing \(\beta\)-glucans from oat (Figure 2c) and yeast (Figure 2d). Therefore, although the viscosity increased in both samples with the addition of \(\beta\)-glucan, their rheological characteristics were similar to those of the control ice cream. It is interesting that a more stable system was observed for the sample 3 (Figure 2d). The influence of frequency on the tangent delta of the ice creams containing \(\beta\)-glucans from oat and yeast is shown in Figure 2e,f. Increased frequency caused the samples to behave as elastic materials with a tangent of the phase angle below 1. Furthermore, the tangent of the phase angle decreased with frequency, which is characteristic for food systems when elastic properties predominate over the viscous ones. The samples, in addition to \(\beta\)-glucan, contained \(\kappa\)-carrageenan, which is a component of the Vianoks C45 stabilization system. These two hydrocolloids have the potential to form a synergistic system. [PERSON] et al. [49] studied the microstructure of the gel network formed by \(\kappa\)-carrageenanan and \(\beta\)-glucan from brewer's yeast. Small-amplitude oscillatory rheology revealed that while \(\kappa\)-carrageenan plays a dominant role in the formation of the gel network, \(\beta\)-glucan also participates in the creation of energetic bonds that activate the gelation process, especially in mixtures with low \(\kappa\)-carrageenan content. Furthermore,  
Figure 2: Frequency sweep of complex viscosity and the storage modulus (G\({}^{\prime}\)) and loss modulus (G\({}^{\prime\prime}\)) of S.1, (**a**,**b**); S.2, (**c**); S.3, (**d**), and tangent of the phase angle of S.2 (**e**), and S.3 (**f**). SEM images showed that the \(\beta\)-glucan particles fill the cavity of the \(\kappa\)-carrageenanenan network, enhancing the rheological properties of the gel of the mixed system. Therefore, it can be assumed that these two polymers may stablish a synergistic stabilization system through the interaction of hydrogen bonds and entanglement between \(\beta\)-glucan particles with \(\kappa\)-carrageenan chains. Figure 3 shows the elastic (G\({}^{\prime}\)) and viscous (G\({}^{\prime\prime}\)) components of the ice creams containing vegetable pures, i.e., samples 4-9. The sample containing 0.4% Vianoks C45 + 3% WPC + 10% beet (sample 4) demonstrated a notable technological effect, which may be attributed to the presence of pectin substances. This is in contrast to the sample with increased protein content to 4.5%, where a certain plasticity of the system during measurement is evident (Figure 3b). Whey protein isolate has the capability to form complexes with pectin substances derived from vegetables, fruits, and berries, resulting in stable polysaccharide-protein agglomerates that contribute to the stabilization of food systems [50]. Furthermore, according to [PERSON] et al. [51], the combination of Mn\({}^{2+}\) ions with pectin can form gels due to the formation of polymer-metal complexes involving one or two carboxyl groups.