Potent Application of the Lyophilized Aqueous Leaf Extract of Euphorbia hirta (Tawa-Tawa) in the Development of a Naturally Flavored Ice Cream

Euphorbia hirta (Tawa-tawa), also known as “gatas-gatas”, is a hairy herb grown in open grasslands, roadsides and pathways. This indigenous plant is considered as one of the most popular folkloric treatment for dengue in the Philippines. When researched, Tawa-tawa was found to be able to promote cell production, and to prevent platelet destruction (Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, 2013). In this study, a new application of the plant was evaluated. This was as a natural supplement for ice cream production without the degradation of its essential compounds. Fresh leaves of E. hirta were oven dried and macerated to water for 48 hours. The obtained extracts were subjected to lyophilization to prevent potential degradation of plant’s essectial compounds. Ice cream formulation was added with the obtained powdered extract of E. hirta. Results revealed that the lyophilized extracts from E. hirta leaves contained flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols and saponins. Promising amounts of Vitamin B2 (5.02 mg/kg), Beta-carotene (9.8 mg/kg), Vitamin E (23.8 mg/kg) and Vitamin C (80.2 mg/kg) were also obtained. Meanwhile, the E. hirta supplemented ice cream was negative to Salmonella and a 16 CFU/g for Total Coliform Count was found. What is more, organoleptic testing for both taste and texture revealed excellent responses and very good aroma. The findings of the current study affirmed the feasibility of developing a naturally-based ice cream product supplemented with a medicinal plant like E. hirta. The results indicate that the developed ice cream is safer and healthier, hence could encourage everyone to enjoy the delights of eating ice cream without worry of gastronomic distress.