Food Products with High Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities and Their Sensory Appreciation

Mihaela Adriana Tița,Vijolė Bradauskienė,Ovidiu Tița,Maria Adelina Constantinescu,Loreta Tamošaitienė,Endre Mathe

doi:10.3390/app12020790

Abstract

(1) Background: The demand for healthy and nutritious food is growing worldwide. Fermented dairy products are highly valued by consumers for their health benefits. Kefir is a fermented dairy product that brings many benefits to the consumer due to its antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antimicrobial properties. Extracts from various plants in the form of volatile oils have a beneficial efct on consumer health. Following the research, their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were demonstrated. (2) Methods: In the present study, the main purpose was to obtain a fermented dairy product with a high nutritional value; therefore, kefir, enriched with three types of volatile oils, namely, volatile mint oil, volatile fennel oil and volatile lavender oil, was made. The kefir samples obtained were sensory and texturally analyzed. The beneficial effect on health must also be studied in terms of the acceptability of these products by consumers from a sensory point of view. A non-numerical method based on several multi-personal approval criteria was used to interpret the results obtained in the sensory analysis. In the textural analysis, the consistency, cohesiveness and firmness of the kefir samples were analyzed. (3) Results: The samples enriched with volatile oils obtained superior results compared to the control sample in both conducted examinations. Kefir samples with volatile oils retained their sensory and textural characteristics for a longer time during storage. (4) Conclusions: The volatile oils added to kefir positively influenced the sensory and textural characteristics of the finished product.

Highlights

Fermented dairy products are highly valued by consumers for their health benefits
A non-numerical method based on several multi-personal approval criteria was used to interpret the results obtained in the sensory analysis
The results obtained show that for the kefir samples with volatile oils, the sensory characteristics are highlighted during storage; on day 10, the best grades are obtained, and by day 20, the characteristics begin to decrease, reaching those recorded on day 1 of the analysis

Summary

Introduction

Fermented dairy products are highly valued by consumers for their health benefits. They can be consumed from an early age [1]. Lactic fermentation causes changes in the composition, consisting of the production of lactic acid from lactose and the formation of peptides and amino acids from proteins and fatty acids from lipids [2]. It is desirable to make food products that, in addition to satisfying the need for food, bring numerous nutritional contributions to the health of the consumer [3]. Creating products capable of meeting food and health needs is of great interest due to the increase in economic competitiveness [5]. Food processors must produce foods that prevent consumers from becoming sick and help to improve their physical and mental health [3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion