Processing and Quality Evaluation of Cottage Cheese Spread Enriched with Alginate–Pullulan-Encapsulated Herbal Bioactives

This study evaluated the effects of alginate–pullulan-encapsulated herbal bioactives on the processing characteristics, quality, and refrigerated storage stability of cottage cheese spread. Capsules containing rosehip, echinacea, and levzeya extracts were incorporated at levels of 0–5%, and the resulting samples were assessed for physicochemical properties, bioactive composition, antioxidant activity, rheological behavior, capsule integrity, sensory acceptability, and safety. The formulation containing 3% capsules was selected as the formulation providing the best balance between enrichment and product quality. It contained 0.94 mg/100 g vitamin C, 6.75 mg/100 g polyphenols, and 4.50 mg/100 g flavonoids, with DPPH antioxidant activity of 6.0% and a mean sensory score of 4.69/5. Capsule levels of 4–5% further increased bioactive content but reduced sensory scores to 4.11 and 3.71 because of more visible inclusions and lower taste and consistency ratings. During 7 days of refrigerated storage, moisture content and water activity remained statistically stable, and lactic acid bacteria remained close to 7 log10 CFU/g. Meanwhile, pH decreased, whereas titratable acidity and syneresis increased, with sensory deterioration becoming more evident after day 3. By day 7, vitamin C, polyphenols, and antioxidant activity retained 92.6%, 95.6%, and 94.0% of their initial values, respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms were not detected, and the tested safety indicators remained within permissible limits. These results demonstrate that 3% capsule incorporation provides a suitable balance between bioactive enrichment, processability, sensory acceptability, and refrigerated quality retention.