Abstract
The influence of two different types of inulin added to fiordilatte cheese was assessed on product quality during the proper refrigerated storage period. To this aim, the fresh cheese was produced by a pilot plant, adding inulin, either from chicory (low degree of polymerization) or from cardoon (high degree of polymerization), during the stretching phase of the production process. Microbiological stability, sensory acceptability, texture and color changes of fortified dairy food during storage were measured and compared to the control cheese. Results suggest that inulin from different sources, even if characterized by a different degree of polymerization, can keep the texture and color of fiordilatte during storage. Microbiological analyses highlight that inulin seemed to promote a faster Pseudomonas spp. growth; however, the viable cell concentrations were found to be comparable in all the samples after one week. Enterobacteriaceae growth was faster when inulin from chicory was used. Sensory analysis shows that inulin addition to fiordilatte promoted the sensory quality preservation during storage; in fact, the fortified cheese overall quality was found to be always higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control sample, thus suggesting that inulin addition to fiordilatte represents a valid strategy for its fiber fortification.
Highlights
Inulin is a dietary fiber belonging to fructans, used as common ingredient in the food industry, for dairy and bakery products, for beverages and ice cream [1]
When the baseline of chromatograms appeared clear and the inulin color, determined by colorimeter (Minolta CR 400), had L* values above 85, inulin was accepted for purification
The main findings recorded for each quality parameter were described and discussed in detail, comparing fortified cheese with each other and with control samples
Summary
Inulin is a dietary fiber belonging to fructans, used as common ingredient in the food industry, for dairy and bakery products, for beverages and ice cream [1]. It is used for both technological and nutritional properties. The physico–chemical properties of inulin are strictly linked to the degree of polymerization that represents the size distribution of the polysaccharide chains in the carbohydrate polymer [5]. Non-digestible oligosaccharides of long chain length are more resistant to saccharolytic fermentation and are more slowly biodegradable than compounds of shorter chain, so their fermentation will take a longer time than oligofructose fermentation, resulting in more residual carbohydrate breakdown in the distal colon [6]. Thanks to its proven nutraceutical effect, inulin could be used for novel food design [7,8]
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