Monitoring of chemicophysical parameters linked to probiotic strains in a functional cereal-based food and acceptability of the product

GIES, MAGALÍ; ADRIEN, SERVENT; LINGUA, MARIANA; DESCALZO, ADRIANA; LUCIANA ROSSETTI; CAROLINA PÉREZ; SERGIO RIZZO; DHUIQUE-MEYER, CLAUDIE

Montpellier

Conferencia; 4th International Conference on Global Food Security; 2020

MUSE (Montpellier University of Excellence) and WAGENINGEN University and Research

Introduction: Chronic diseases are in exponential growth in the world, especially in South countries. Functional foods might be an answer to overcome these international stakes, because they are known for their several proved beneficial effects on human health. That is why our laboratory developed a probiotic maize-based product, enriched with natural carotenoids and phytosterols, showing a high nutritional interest (Gies et al., 2019, Gies et al., 2020). However, it was relevant to assess the stability of its functional properties along storage and to verify its acceptability by targeted consumers.Methodology: Two Lactobacillus starters were selected for their growth parameters in co-fermentation into this specific matrix. A product containing semi-skimmed powdered milk (BP) was compared with a product containing whey protein isolates replacing this milk portion (WPIP), in terms of probiotic viability, pH, titrable acidity, and total antioxidant capacity by ABTS method linked to total polyphenols. A hedonic sensory analysis was carried out in Argentina to assess the acceptability of these products on this specific population.Results: The ratio of L. plantarum and L. casei allowed to reach 109 CFU/g in the final product without interacting with bioactive compound contents (Gies et al., 2019). Although probiotic viability is kept all over one month of cold storage at 4 °C, the pH and so the titrable acidity changed among formulations, influencing the metabolic activity of probiotic strains. Their production of organic acids and bioactive peptides might then contribute to heighten total antioxidant capacity of products, especially in WPIP. The majority of the Argentinian panelists showed a preference for WPIP, in terms of taste and texture, by comparison with BP.Perspectives: This functional food is generic and declinable, in relation with local or specific food disorders. It can be consumed by populations as a complementary food to enhance carotenoid blood rate and/or decrease cholesterol blood level. The probiotic and cholesterol-lowering potentials still have to be evaluated in vivo to prove their beneficial aspects on human.