Volume 17 2025 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DAIRY AND NON-DAIRY COCOA BUTTER-BASED MUSANG KING DURIAN ICE CREAM Authors Chin H. H.*and Nor Haslita, I. ABSTRACT Musang King durian has been gaining popularity in ice cream. Ice cream typically contains milk fat, milk and milk-derived ingredients which contribute to creaminess, flavour and texture to the ice cream. Increasing health concerns related to saturated fat intake, along with the growing prevalence of lactose intolerance and milk allergies have driven consumers demand for alternative fats and milk sources. Cocoa butter and almond milk have emerged as promising substitutes in non-dairy ice cream. Unlike milk fat, cocoa butter does not raise serum cholesterol levels, and almond milk offers lactose and milk free option, making them attractive alternatives for health conscious and dairy sensitive consumers. This study aimed to characterize cocoa butter-based Musang King durian ice cream prepared using two formulations: a dairy version (with fresh skim milk) and non-dairy version (with almond milk). Physical properties including overrun, total solids, melting properties, colour, and organoleptic qualities were evaluated. The non-dairy formulation exhibited significantly (p<0.05) higher overrun (43.54±2.87%) compared to the dairy variant (31.12±1.24%), resulting in a lighter and airier texture. In contrast, the dairy formulation showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher total solids content (39.76±0.13%) than the non-dairy counterpart (36.15±0.04%), contributing to a denser texture. In terms of melting properties, the non-dairy ice cream displayed a delayed first drop time (41.71±1.55 min) and a lower melting rate (0.02±0.00 g/min) compared to the dairy version (27.28±0.82 min, 0.03±0.00 g/min). Colour analysis revealed that the dairy variant had higher L* values (lightness) while the non-dairy variant exhibited significantly (p<0.05) higher a* (redness) and lower b* (yellowness) values. Sensory evaluation results indicated positive acceptance for both formulations; however, the dairy-based ice cream was preferred in terms of colour and Musang King durian flavour. VIEW PDF DOWNLOAD