Chocolate desserts with ricotta hydrolysates: In vitro study of inhibitory activity against angiotensin-converting enzyme and cholinesterase.

Food can be a source of valuable peptides with high bioactivity, which regulate the functioning of cardiovascular and nervous systems. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of usage ricotta after hydrolysis to obtain innovative chocolate desserts. It was shown that the hydrolysis of whey proteins in ricotta had insignificant effect on the texture indices of the products, except gumminess, as it declined to 16% in ricotta samples and to 7% in case of chocolate dessert samples. Confirmed was that the hydrolysis of the ricotta affected the activity of prepared desserts with respect to cholinesterases and angiotensin-converting enzyme. Enzymatic hydrolysate of ricotta may be consider as a semifinished product of high functional activity, and its further application in dessert production allows to provide novel prohealth new products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Study results indicate new feasibilities of ricotta application as functional ingredient of new products--chocolate desserts. The results show that ricotta after the stage of enzyme hydrolysis of proteins might have noticeable effect on product functionality. A measurable benefit for the consumer is the receipt of a new product with favorable health-promoting properties, and for the entrepreneur new possibilities to expand the range of functional products. Moreover, described technology allows to use dairy byproducts for new products developments, such as chocolate desserts, due to sustainability development strategy.