CHARACTERIZATION OF BEVERAGE OBTAINED FROM SYMBIOTIC FERMENTED MILK ADDED GUAVA PULP AND EVALUATION OF BIFIDOBACTERIA VIABILITY

Abstract

Fermented milks and yogurts containing probiotics are the main products in the world with health claims, attending to a growing market demand. However, to maintain the viability of probiotic cultures during manufacture and storage of food products is a technological challenge. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the physicalchemical composition and viability of probiotics after 1, 15 and 30 days of refrigerated storage (4ºC ± 1) of a beverage made with guava pulp pasteurized and fermented milk with cultured yoghurt (50/50%), mixed cultures of bifidobacteria, with and without the addition of 1.7% of prebiotics (FOS). The viability of probiotic beverages after 30 days of refrigerated storage has remained within the limit proposed by the Brazilian legislation for food with claims of functional properties with values from 10⁶ to 10⁷ UFC.mL^-1, even in unfavorable condition of pH (<4,4). The addition of 1.7% of FOS did not increase the viability of bifidobacteria. However, the addition of 1.7% FOS enables the intake of 3.4 grams of fiber in the daily portion (200 ml) which meets the recommendation for functional properties.