Physicochemical and Morphological Characterization of Potato Starch Modified by Bacterial Amylases for Food Industry Applications

Two multienzyme bacterial preparations of α-amylase of Bacillus licheniformis and Amylosubtilin® were used in order to modify potato starch at various enzyme concentrations. Eight types of starch were obtained, and their morphological, functional, and physical and chemical characteristics were studied. Induction of enzyme preparations allowed obtaining starches characterized by extended solubility and water-sorption ability and also lower gelation temperatures and viscosity. It was found that studied amylolytic preparations do have different effects on starch granules, despite the identical major amylase activities. The combination of the characteristics studied in the enzymatically modified starches makes them promising for the use as a component of food systems requiring the corrections of their textural features

Textural and Functional Properties of Skimmed and Whole Milk Fermented by Novel <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> AG10 Strain Isolated from Silage

Milk fermentation by lactic acid bacteria both enhances its nutritional value and provides probiotic strains to correct the intestinal microflora. Here, we show the comparative analysis of milk fermented with the new strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AG10, isolated from silage and the industrial strain Lactobacillus delbrukii subs. bulgaricus. While the milk acidification during fermentation with L. plantarum AG10 was lower compared with L. bulgaricus, milk fermented with L. plantarum AG10 after a 14-day storage period retained a high level of viable cells and was characterized by an increased content of exopolysaccharides and higher viscosity. The increased EPS production led to clot formation with higher density on microphotographs and increased firmness and cohesiveness of the product compared with L. bulgaricus-fermented milk. Furthermore, the L. plantarum AG10-fermented milk exhibited increased radical-scavenging activity assuming lower fat oxidation during storage. Taken together, these data suggest that L. plantarum AG10 seems to be a promising starter culture for dairy products with lowered levels of lactic acid, which is important for people with increased gastric acid formation