Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the replacement of sucrose with alternative sweeteners in Sweetened Condensed Rice Milk (SCRM) and to determine the optimal sterilization conditions. Maltitol, isomalt, and sucralose were utilized as substitutes for sucrose in rice-based formula compared with milk-based control. Four formulations were evaluated for sensory properties using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) by trained panelists, assessing eight key attributes: brightness, apparent viscosity, rice flavor, coconut milk flavor, soybean flavor, thickness, smoothness, and sweetness. The results showed no significant differences in coconut milk flavor, soybean flavor, or smoothness intensity between the maltitol-sucralose and isomalt-sucralose formulations. The isomalt-sucralose sample achieved a sweetness level comparable to the milk-based control (7.59) with an intensity score of 7.23. To ensure commercial sterility, the SCRM sample was subjected to sterilization using a water spray retort under two temperature-time conditions: 116 °C for 20 min and 121 °C for 8 min. The F-values obtained for the sterilized SCRM samples were 6.25 min at 116 °C and 8.49 min at 121 °C. There were no significant differences in redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) after sterilization between the two conditions. However, the viscosity of the sterilized SCRM sample at 116 °C was higher than that of the 121 °C treatment. Microbiological analysis confirmed that the applied sterilization effectively inactivated pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. The sensory evaluation demonstrated that overall acceptability scores ranged from slightly to moderately liked on a 9-point hedonic scale.