Effect of sucrose content added to milk on the composition, yield, viscosity, color, and Maillard reaction chemical markers of dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is a concentrated dairy product produced with varying sucrose levels that is widely consumed and produced in Latin America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sucrose content during dulce de leche production on the centesimal physicochemical and mineral composition, yield, color, viscosity, and Maillard reaction markers during storage. The study included four treatments, which were produced using different quantities of sucrose. The centesimal composition of the dulce de leche demonstrates that a higher sucrose content results in increased yield, a lower percentage of dairy components, and consequently, a decrease in the mineral content. The process parameters were not statistically different between treatments. The color and browning indexes were statistically consistent. Furthermore, the samples demonstrated the same Maillard reaction behavior during storage.