Development, quality evaluation and in vitro antidiabetic potential of functional Mozzarella cheese supplemented with Syzygium cumini seeds powder

• S. cumini seed powder enhanced phenolics and antioxidant activity in Mozzarella cheese. • Fortification improved protein content with acceptable texture and functionality. • α-amylase inhibition increased (∼81%) with higher S. cumini seed powder levels. • Mozzarella cheese with 6% supplementation had higher sensory acceptability. Syzygium cumini (jamun) seeds are rich in phenolics and other bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, although their application in functional dairy products remains limited. This study aimed at developing a functional Mozzarella cheese fortified with increasing levels of S. cumini seeds powder (SP), evaluate the quality of the resulting cheeses and assess their antidiabetic potential in vitro . Traditional (control) and functional Mozzarella cheeses containing S. cumini SP (4–10%, w/w ) were manufactured and analyzed for composition, texture profile, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibition and sensory attributes. Increasing S. cumini SP supplementation resulted in higher protein (up to 25% increase, relative to controls), carbohydrate (10%), TPC (37.8–292 mg GAE/100 g), DPPH radical scavenging activity (3.46–68.8%), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (0.59–5.5 mmol/100 g). Antidiabetic potential also increased, with α-glucosidase inhibition reaching 81% at 10% SP supplementation. Although highest inclusions (8-10%) of S. cumini SP reduced the water-holding capacity thereby resulting in overall lower sensory acceptability of supplemented cheeses, the 4-6% formulations received preference scores similar to control cheeses. These findings demonstrate that S. cumini SP can be successfully incorporated into Mozzarella cheese as a functional ingredient, also highlighting the in vitro antidiabetic potential of the supplemented cheeses. Further studies on bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and clinical validation are needed to support potential dietary or therapeutic applications of SP-supplemented Mozzarela cheese.