Pumpkin contains considerable amounts of bioactive compounds which
hardly valorized in dairy products. This study aims to investigate the chemical,
nutritional, rheological, and organoleptical properties of prepared stirred
pumpkin-yoghurt. Stirred yoghurt with three different pumpkin varieties pulp
[American (AP), Domestic (DP), and Indian (IP) pumpkin] at 15% was prepared
and stored at 5˚C ± 1˚C up to 14 d. The chemical properties of yoghurts
include protein, fat, crude fiber, and available carbohydrates were significantly
affected by adding pumpkin without remarkable change in caloric value. Addition
of pumpkin pulps decreased the pH and increased the acidity of stirred
pumpkin-yoghurt significantly (P < 0.05). WHC of pumpkin-yoghurts was
found to be statistically improved compared to control yoghurt (CY). L*, a*,
b* means were differed significantly by adding pumpkin to yoghurt. Apparent
viscosity was increased after manufacturing up to 14 d. Lactic acid bacteria
(LAB) were counted from 8.59 to 8.73 CFU mL−1 in all stirred yoghurts after 1
d. After that, it was increased without notable effect of adding pumpkin pulps,
and with slight simulation in LAB, growth was noticed in DP and IP yoghurts.
Total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoid (TF), total flavonols (TFL),
carotenoids contents, and antioxidant capacity of pumpkin-yoghurts were
significantly increased. Fortifying yoghurt with pumpkin pulp was associated
with a statistically significant effect on sensory parameters such as flavor, color,
and overall acceptability. Scores of AP yoghurt showed the highest score
which significantly differed from CY. It is obviously showed that panelists
were favored the prepared stirred pumpkin-yoghurt. Thus, it is recommended
that adding pumpkin pulps increases yoghurt health benefits and could be
scaled up further.