Technological aspects of probiotic functional food development

Probiotic Bacteria Survival and Shelf Life of High Fibre Plant Snack - Model Study

The study aimed to develop plant-based model snacks that are high in fibre, contain probiotic bacteria and are convenient for long-term storage. The research focused on selecting a suitable form of probiotic bacteria (active biomass, microencapsulated, freeze-dried), inoculation method (in the base mass or in the filling of a snack) and appropriate storage conditions (4°Cor 20 °C). The potential synbiotic properties were evaluated. The microencapsulated bacteria had the highest survival rate at 4 °C, while the freeze-dried bacteria showed better survival rates at 20 °C. Probiotics had a higher survival rate when enclosed inside snacks with a low water activity (aw = 0.27) peanut butter filling than in snacks without filling (aw = 0.53). Enclosing the probiotics in a low aw filling ensures their survival at ambient temperature for 5 months at a count higher than 6 log CFU/g. The snacks exhibited high antioxidant capacity (average 300 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g), polyphenol content (average 357 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) and high fibre content (average 10.2 g/100 g). The sensory analysis showed a high overall quality of the snacks (average 7.1/10 of the conventional units). Furthermore, after six months of storage, significant changes were observed in the antioxidant properties, polyphenol content and texture of the snacks, while their sensory quality remained unchanged. Moreover, a potential synbiotic effect was observed. The method used to assess bacterial growth indicated significantly higher values in the model snacks compared to a control sample. Therefore, this study has effectively addressed the gap in knowledge regarding the survival of probiotics in snacks of this nature.

Effects of Fructose and Oligofructose Addition on Milk Fermentation Using Novel Lactobacillus Cultures to Obtain High-Quality Yogurt-like Products

The incorporation of prebiotics in fermented milk products is one of the best ways to promote health benefits while improving their sensory characteristics at the same time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of fructose and oligofructose (1% and 2%) on the physicochemical, rheological, sensory, and microbiological quality attributes of fermented milk products inoculated with indigenous probiotic starter cultures of Lactobacillus isolated from Polish traditional fermented foods. The samples were evaluated during 35 days of refrigerated storage. The oligofructose and fructose caused increases in the populations of bacteria in comparison to the control fermented milk products without the addition of saccharides. The degrees of acidification in different fermented milk samples, as well as their viscosity, firmness, syneresis, and color attributes, changed during storage. The highest overall sensory quality levels were observed for the samples supplemented with L. brevis B1 and oligofructose. This study is the first attempt to compare the influences of different sugar sources on the physicochemical, rheological, sensory, and microbiological quality attributes of fermented milk products.

Probiotic and Potentially Probiotic Yeasts-Characteristics and Food Application

Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Besides the well-known and tested lactic acid bacteria, yeasts may also be probiotics. The subject of probiotic and potentially probiotic yeasts has been developing and arising potential for new probiotic products with novel properties, which are not offered by bacteria-based probiotics available on the current market. The paper reviews the first probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, its characteristics, pro-healthy activities and application in functional food production. This species offers such abilities as improving digestion of certain food ingredients, antimicrobial activities and even therapeutic properties. Besides Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, on this background, novel yeasts with potentially probiotic features are presented. They have been intensively investigated for the last decade and some species have been observed to possess probiotic characteristics and abilities. There are yeasts from the genera Debaryomyces, Hanseniaspora, Pichia, Meyerozyma, Torulaspora, etc. isolated from food and environmental habitats. These potentially probiotic yeasts can be used for production of various fermented foods, enhancing its nutritional and sensory properties. Because of the intensively developing research on probiotic yeasts in the coming years, we can expect many discoveries and possibly even evolution in the segment of probiotics available on the market.

Probiotics: Versatile Bioactive Components in Promoting Human Health

The positive impact of probiotic strains on human health has become more evident than ever before. Often delivered through food, dietary products, supplements, and drugs, different legislations for safety and efficacy issues have been prepared. Furthermore, regulatory agencies have addressed various approaches toward these products, whether they authorize claims mentioning a disease's diagnosis, prevention, or treatment. Due to the diversity of bacteria and yeast strains, strict approaches have been designed to assess for side effects and post-market surveillance. One of the most essential delivery systems of probiotics is within food, due to the great beneficial health effects of this system compared to pharmaceutical products and also due to the increasing importance of food and nutrition. Modern lifestyle or various diseases lead to an imbalance of the intestinal flora. Nonetheless, as the amount of probiotic use needs accurate calculations, different factors should also be taken into consideration. One of the novelties of this review is the presentation of the beneficial effects of the administration of probiotics as a potential adjuvant therapy in COVID-19. Thus, this paper provides an integrative overview of different aspects of probiotics, from human health care applications to safety, quality, and control.

Fermented milk: The most popular probiotic food carrier

Fermented milks are extensively produced and consumed all around the world. The production of these products is an old process that was used for extending the shelf life of milk. Nowadays, numerous traditional and industrial fermented milks with various texture and aroma can be found as an important part of human diet that exhibit several health benefits. In recent years, consumers' awareness about the effect of diet on health and tendency for consuming healthful food products directed manufacturers to develop functional foods. In this context, production of probiotic food products is a common approach. Fermented milks are suitable carrier for probiotics and their production and consumption can be a beneficial way for improving health status. For development of probiotic fermented milks, probiotic viability during fermentation and storage time, their interaction with starter cultures in the product as well as their effect on sensory properties of the product should be taken into account. This chapter describes different fermented milks, probiotics used in fermented milks, process of their production and quality aspects associated with these products.

Potential of probiotics from fermented cereal-based beverages in improving health of poor people in Africa

Milk and milk products; particularly yoghurts have almost exclusively been used as media for probiotic delivery to human being for a very long time. Despite health benefits such products have to humans; that include supply of nutrients, prevention and cure of certain communicable and non-communicable diseases; the presence of allergens, increased lactose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia effects, the need for vegetarian probiotic products, cultural food taboos against milk, and religious beliefs have led to limitations on the use of milk and its products as probiotic vehicles in many places including Africa. Such limitations have led to more researches worldwide on alternative delivery media for probiotics in order to meet the food preferences and demands of people affected by milk and milk products. An integrative approach has been used to find common ideas and concepts from different studies. Different food matrices have been tested for their ability to carry probiotics and cereals and cereal products have been found as among suitable substrates for the purpose. Some investigations have revealed that traditional African fermented cereal-based beverages are potential probiotic carriers because of the probiotic Lactobacillus spp. and yeasts which are involved in the fermentation of such products. This offers an opportunity for the African cereal beverages to be used to provide probiotic health benefits to the majority of African populations. Thus, this review provides information on probiotics including sources, types, health benefits, vehicles for their delivery and specifically also on challenges and future prospects for cereal-based probiotics development and consumption in Africa.