Novel Probiotic Adjunct Cultures for the Production of Fruit-Flavoured Drinkable Yoghurt

Abstract

Nowadays, there is a good demand for fruit drinkable yoghurt containing probiotics. Yoghurt is more nutritious than many other fermented milk products because it contains a high level of milk solids in addition to nutrients developed during the fermentation process. The aim of the present study was to produce fruit-flavoured drinkable yoghurt by using new isolates of Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus plantarum as probiotic strains and in the enrichment with fruit juices (red grape or apricot), Furthermore, evaluation of physico-chemical, rheological, microbiological, sensorial properties and antioxidant activity of fruit-flavoured drinkable yoghurt during storage. The addition of probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium sp. to yoghurt improves its functionality and health effects. In this study fruit-flavoured drinkable yoghurt containing two ratios of red grape and apricot juices (7.5% and 10%) and 7.5% sugar were produced by using novel isolates of Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus Plantarum. Chemical, microbiological, and sensorial properties, beside nutritional characteristics of drinkable yoghurt were improved by adding 10% red grape or apricot juice and 1.5% probiotic bacteria (Bifido. breve and Lb. plantarum) and enriched with 1% oat..