Characterization of a symbiotic beverage based on water-soluble soybean extract fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014

The health benefits of functional foods are associated with consumer interest and have supported the growth of the market for these types of foods, with emphasis on the development of new formulations based on plant extracts. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize a symbiotic preparation based on water-soluble soy extract, supplemented with inulin and xylitol and fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014. Regarding nutritional issues, the symbiotic formulation can be considered a source of fiber (2 g/100 mL) and proteins (2.6 g/100 mL), and it also has a low-fat content and low caloric value. This formulation, in terms of microbiological aspects, remained adequate to legal standards after storage for 60 days under refrigeration and also presented an adequate quantity of the aforementioned probiotic strain, corresponding to 9.11 Log CFU.mL-1. These viable L. plantarum cells proved to be resistant to simulated human gastrointestinal tract conditions, reaching the intestine at high cell concentrations of 7.95 Log CFU.mL-1 after 60 days of refrigeration. Regarding sensory evaluation, the formulation showed good acceptance, presenting an average overall impression score of 6.98, 5.98, and 5.16, for control samples stored for 30 and 60 days under refrigeration, respectively. These results demonstrate that water-soluble soy extract is a suitable matrix for fermentation involving L. plantarum ATCC 8014, supporting and providing data on the first steps towards the development of a symbiotic functional food, targeting consumers who have restrictions regarding the consumption of products of animal origin, diabetics, and individuals under calorie restrictions.