Impact of the addition of Lactobacillus casei and oligofructose on the quality parameters of orange juice and hibiscus tea mixed beverage

Impact of different prebiotics on ultrasound-treated nopal cladode (Opuntia dillenii) beverages

Opuntia dillenii cladodes are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics, vitamins and fibres. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different prebiotics on the bioactive compounds' stability, bioacessibility, bioactivity and sensorial characteristics of ultrasound-treated nopal cladode (Opuntia dillenii) beverages. Five formulations were prepared: untreated beverage (BC); ultrasound-treated beverage (BU); and ultrasound-treated beverage with inulin (BIU) or fructo-oligosaccharides (BFU) or polydextrose (BPU). The addition of prebiotics increased dietary fibre in beverages (10.44-20.70 %). BPU presented higher concentrations and stability of bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and ascorbic acid; in addition to greater antioxidant activity (FRAP) and maintained the inhibition of the α-glucosidase enzyme. BFU showed higher bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and maintained inhibition of the α-amylase enzyme. The addition of prebiotics minimized undesirable sensory characteristics in the beverages. These findings suggest that adding prebiotics to nopal beverages may maintain functionality and increase the acceptability of these products during storage.

Lactic acid bacteria viability in different refrigerated food matrices: a systematic review and Meta‑analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine which variables affect the viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) added to different types of refrigerated foods during the first 28 days. Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Reviews databases were searched from 1997 to April 2022. A total of 278 studies, which showed randomized and controlled experiments published in peer reviewed journals, were included. The viability of LAB in different moments during the storage process was synthesized as mean point estimate (MPE) via random-effects meta-analyses and the effect of multiple factors on the LAB´s viability was evaluated by multiple meta-regression. The meta-analysis showed that the decrease in LAB viability will be more abrupt the greater the initial dose. The physical structure of food may influence bacterial viability. Fruit was the type of product that most quickly lost viability. Co-culture of two or more species did not affect viability. Preservation methods had an unfavorable effect and prebiotics had a beneficial effect on bacterial viability. Viability was genus dependent. The data obtained in this study provide an overview of the factors to be taken into account for the design of new foods.

Non-dairy prebiotics: Conceptual relevance with nutrigenomics and mechanistic understanding of the effects on human health

The increasing health awareness of consumers has made a shift towards vegan and non-dairy prebiotics counterparts. Non-dairy prebiotics when fortified with vegan products have interesting properties and widely found its applications in food industry. The chief vegan products that have prebiotics added include water-soluble plant-based extracts (fermented beverages, frozen desserts), cereals (bread, cookies), and fruits (juices & jelly, ready to eat fruits). The main prebiotic components utilized are inulin, oligofructose, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, and xylooligosaccharides. Prebiotics' formulations, type and food matrix affect food products, host health, and technological attributes. Prebiotics from non-dairy sources have a variety of physiological effects that help to prevent and treat chronic metabolic diseases. This review focuses on mechanistic insight on non-dairy prebiotics affecting human health, how nutrigenomics is related to prebiotics development, and role of gene-microbes' interactions. The review will provide industries and researchers with important information about prebiotics, mechanism of non-dairy prebiotics and microbe interaction as well as prebiotic based vegan products.

Potentially Synbiotic Yellow Mombin Beverages: Stability during Refrigerated Storage, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Sensory Properties

This study aimed to develop potentially synbiotic yellow mombin (Spondias mombin L.) beverages added with fructooligosaccharides and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NRRL B-4496. Six formulations of yellow mombin beverages were prepared to measure the influence of fermentation and pH, which was adjustment to 4.5 for stability and quality parameters. Formulations were evaluated for probiotic survival, pH, titratable acidity, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant activity for 28 days at 4 °C. Additionally, the proximate composition, color, sensory aspects, and survival to simulated gastrointestinal conditions were studied. At 21 days of storage, the viability of L. plantarum was 9 CFU/mL for the fermented symbiotic (SYNf) and non-fermented symbiotic with adjusted pH (SYNa) formulations. In addition, the fermented synbiotic with an adjusted pH beverage (SYNfA) showed a count of 8.2 log CFU/mL at 28 days. The formulations showed a high TPC (234-431 mg GAE/L), antioxidant activity (48-75 µM trolox), and a potential use as low-calorie beverages. The SYNf formulation showed an acceptability index higher than 70% and a high purchase intent. The SYNf and SYNa formulations maintained suitable probiotic counts after exposure to the simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Therefore, it was possible to develop a new potentially synbiotic yellow mombin beverage with a high sensory acceptance, supplying the market with a new functional food alternative.

Production of low-tannin Hibiscus sabdariffa tea through D-optimal design optimization of the preparation conditions and the catalytic action of new tannase

Many tannase-based industrial applications are currently being developed to successfully break down tannins in teas and juices. However, so far, no study has demonstrated the potential application of tannase to reduce tannin levels in Hibiscus sabdariffa tea. The D-optimal design was utilized to predict the optimal conditions for maximizing anthocyanins and decreasing tannin content in Hibiscus tea. Then, the effects of Penicillium commune tannase were evaluated by examining the physicochemical parameters and α-amylase inhibitory action of untreated and treated Hibiscus tea, as well as quantifying catechin content changes using HPLC. Following treatment with tannase, the esterified catechins decreased by 8.91%, while the non-esterified catechins increased by 19.76%. Additionally, tannase significantly raised the total phenolic compounds by 8.6%. In contrast, the α-amylase inhibiting activity of Hibiscus tea decreased by ≈28%. As a novel member of the tea family, tannase offers an excellent means of conditionally producing low-astringency Hibiscus tea.

Probiotics in Citrus Fruits Products: Health Benefits and Future Trends for the Production of Functional Foods—A Bibliometric Review

The relationship between food and human health drives the search for knowledge of food components that are related to these benefits. The scientific community shows a growing interest in the knowledge of the interactions between components of citrus fruits and probiotics to develop ways to improve the quality of the food produced. In this bibliometric review, a study of scientific publications is carried out on the potential of probiotics in citrus fermentation, addressing the importance and future trends of plant-based products in the functional food group as an alternative to the dairy market. The review process of the articles initially took place with a bibliometric analysis and was followed by a literature review. The Scopus database was used in the search for articles, carried out in May 2021. The use of foods as carriers of probiotics is an alternative that has been growing and the surveys evaluated show the desire to diversify the probiotics available on the market. In addition, it was observed that citrus fruits have great potential for the development of functional foods due to their high acceptability and possibilities of development and application in various products.

Evidence and Updates on non-dairy synbiotic beverage development

BACKGROUND

With the increase in cases of intolerance and allergies to milk protein, new food possibilities have been studied as an alternative to dairy drinks in order to meet the needs of this population, such as, non-dairy synbiotic drinks.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to carry out an integrative literature review on the main types of non-dairy synbiotic beverages, in order to investigate the probiotics and prebiotics added to them. Besides, we also looked into the characteristics of the substrates and fermentation conditions (temperature, time and pH), to assess the influences on bacterial viability, consumer acceptance, conservation and antimicrobial action.

METHODS

We conducted an integrative review of articles published on Pubmed, Web of Science, Scielo, Scopus and Capes journal in the last five years, using the following terms: symbiotic drink, symbiotic beverage, synbiotic drink, synbiotic beverage, bebida simbiótica, not kombucha, which after reading, resulted in the inclusion of 28 articles.

RESULTS

As expected, the main probiotics used were from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and the prebiotics were inulin and fructooligosaccharide. It is noteworthy that all analyzed beverages were in fact probiotics since they obtained values above the minimum viability of 6 log CFU / mL, consequently, they can bring benefits to consumers.

CONCLUSION

Thus, beyond fruits and vegetables being rich sources of nutrients, they also enable the development of synbiotic drinks delivered from their substrates, being an alternative for the public with restrictions to milk.

The Extraction, Functionalities and Applications of Plant Polysaccharides in Fermented Foods: A Review

Plant polysaccharides, as prebiotics, fat substitutes, stabilizers, thickeners, gelling agents, thickeners and emulsifiers, have been immensely studied for improving the texture, taste and stability of fermented foods. However, their biological activities in fermented foods are not yet properly addressed in the literature. This review summarizes the classification, chemical structure, extraction and purification methods of plant polysaccharides, investigates their functionalities in fermented foods, especially the biological activities and health benefits. This review may provide references for the development of innovative fermented foods containing plant polysaccharides that are beneficial to health.

Non-Dairy Fermented Beverages as Potential Carriers to Ensure Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Bioactive Compounds Arrival to the Gut and Their Health Benefits

In alignment with Hippocrates' aphorisms "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" and "All diseases begin in the gut", recent studies have suggested that healthy diets should include fermented foods to temporally enhance live microorganisms in our gut. As a result, consumers are now demanding this type of food and fermented food has gained popularity. However, certain sectors of population, such as those allergic to milk proteins, lactose intolerant and strict vegetarians, cannot consume dairy products. Therefore, a need has arisen in order to offer consumers an alternative to fermented dairy products by exploring new non-dairy matrices as probiotics carriers. Accordingly, this review aims to explore the benefits of different fermented non-dairy beverages (legume, cereal, pseudocereal, fruit and vegetable), as potential carriers of bioactive compounds (generated during the fermentation process), prebiotics and different probiotic bacteria, providing protection to ensure that their viability is in the range of 106-107 CFU/mL at the consumption time, in order that they reach the intestine in high amounts and improve human health through modulation of the gut microbiome.