OKTAY YERLIKAYA*, GULSAH ENDER, F. ARTEMIS TORUNOGLU, NECATI AKBULUT
*Corresponding author
Ege University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Dairy Technology, 35100, Bornova-Izmir, TURKEY

Abstract

In this study, new fermented milk drinks containing combined three probiotic cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus casei) were developed and characterized. Fermented milk drinks were evaluated for their physical, chemical, rheological, microbiological and sensory properties. Determinations of these parameters were investigated at 1, 10, 20 and 30 days of storage. Addition of fruit pulp did not significantly affect the chemical properties, but contributed to an increase in apparent viscosity of fermented milk drinks. However, they were accepted in terms of sensory properties by panellists. All the drinks contained the recommended levels of (7 Log cfu/mL) probiotic bacteria at the end of 30 day shelf life. Milk fermented with these combined three probiotic bacteria could be manufactured as an alternative probiotic dairy product.

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly demanding foods with special properties, such as pleasant flavour, low-calorie value or low fat content, and beneficial health effects. Within this context, the food industry has been developing products with improved flavour and appearance. Functional dairy products meet various nutritional requirements, along with health benefits that are strengthened by the addition of probiotics (1).
The most important and frequently used functional food compounds are probiotics and prebiotics, or they are collectively known as ‘synbiotics’. The word probiotic means “for life” and the world health organization defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.” In the last two decades, research in the probiotic area has achieved major progresses in the selection and characterization of specific probiotic cultures and confirmed the health benefits associated with them. Traditionally, fermented foods are the main source of probiotics and hence one of the major dietary supplements of modern world. This microorganisms defend again ...