RESUMO Produtos lácteos são os principais veículos para incorporação de probióticos, e têm grande popularidade entre o público que procura alimentos funcionais. A aplicação probióticos em novas matrizes alimentares necessita de estudos a fim de verificar a estabilidade e viabilidade dos probióticos no produto. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma bebida probiótica smoothie e avaliar a qualidade microbiológica, pH, acidez, sinérese, viabilidade dos probióticos e aceitação e preferência sensorial. Para tal foram elaboradas 36 formulações, empregando-se iogurte e diferentes polpas de frutas. Seis formulações foram selecionadas sensorialmente contendo iogurte probiótico e as polpas de manga, uva, frutas vermelhas (com 8 e 10% açúcar), manga/maracujá, frutas vermelhas/açaí, na proporção 60/40 (m/m), as quais foram avaliadas. As bebidas apresentaram adequada qualidade higiênico-sanitária e a viabilidade inicial dos probióticos foi em torno de 7 log UFC mL-1. Durante 30 dias de estocagem verificou-se o aumento da acidez e a diminuição no pH, o aumento na sinérese e uma pequena diminuição na viabilidade dos probióticos, em todas as formulações. A bebida smoothie contendo iogurte probiótico e polpa de frutas vermelhas (10% açúcar), foi selecionada devido à aceitação e preferência sensorial e a manutenção dos níveis de probióticos para conferir benefícios à saúde do consumidor.

ABSTRACT Dairy products are the primary delivery for probiotics, with great popularity among the public looking for functional foods. The addition of probiotics to new food matrices requires studies about the stability and viability of these microorganisms in the final product. This study aimed to develop a probiotic smoothie beverage and to evaluate the microbiological quality, pH, acidity, syneresis, probiotics viability, sensory acceptance, and consumers’ preference. For that, thirty-six beverage formulations were prepared using yogurt and different fruit pulps. Six formulations were selected for the study, as follows: probiotic yogurt with the addition of mango pulp, grape, red fruits (containing 8 and 10% sucrose), mango/passion fruit, and red fruits/açaí, using a yogurt/pulp ratio of 60/40 (w/w). The beverages presented adequate hygienic-sanitary quality, with an initial probiotics viability around 7 log CFU mL-1. An increase in acidity and a decrease in pH, as well as a higher rate of syneresis and a small decline in probiotic viability were observed for all formulations throughout 30 days of storage. The probiotic smoothie made with red fruit pulp (10% sugar) was selected due to its better sensory acceptance, and maintenance of probiotic counts to confer health benefits.

Abstract This study reports the use of statistical mixture design as a tool for the simultaneous production of lipase, CMCase, α-amylase, and β-glucosidase by Aspergillus niger under solid-state fermentation. Wheat bran, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and orange peel were used as substrates, either individually or combined in different formulations, to study their synergistic or antagonistic effects on production of the enzymes. The highest lipase (323 U g-1) and CMCase (10 U g-1) activities were detected after 48 h, while the maximum activities of α-amylase (18 U g-1) and β-glucosidase (15 U g-1) occurred at 72 and 96 h, respectively. Considering the substrate formulation, the ternary mixture of wheat bran (1/3), soybean meal (1/3), and cottonseed meal (1/3) was the most versatile, showing production of CMCase (>5 U g-1) and α-amylase (>8 U g-1) at 24 h, lipase (>320 U g-1) at 72 h, and β-glucosidase (>10 U g-1) at 48 h.