Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 in fermented rice pudding supplemented with short Chain Inulin, Long Chain Inulin, and Oat as a novel functional food

© 2017 by the authors. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 is a probiotic that has been shown to reduce the risk of urogenital problems and urinary tract infections. Rice pudding is a popular gluten-free dairy product, and could be a vehicle to deliver L. rhamnosus GR-1 to a broader population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the growth and viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1 in six fermented rice pudding samples, each one supplemented with one type of prebiotic (short-chain inulin-2% w/w, 4% w/w; long-chain inulin-2% w/w, 4% w/w) and oat-0.5% w/w, 1% w/w, along with control, over a 21-day storage period. The objective was to determine if the supplementation would have a positive effect on the microbial viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1, and to evaluate the sensory properties of the samples. All of the samples had viable levels of L. rhamnosus GR-1. Bacterial counts were at least 1 × 10 8 CFU/mL over the 21-day storage period. The probiotic rice pudding sample supplemented with 4% w/w short-chain inulin had the highest hedonic score for flavour, sweetness, texture, and overall acceptability. This study shows that the addition of short-chain inulin, long-chain inulin, and oat had no adverse supplementation effects on the viability of L. Rhamnosus GR-1. There is the potential for the production of a novel functional food

Development of probiotic fruit juices using lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 fortified with short chain and long chain inulin fiber

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Typically, probiotics are consumed in dairy based products such as yogurt. However, given the rise in various diet types, non-dairy alternatives have been developed, such as inoculating fruit juices with probiotics. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 is a probiotic strain exerting a number of human health benefits such as the prevention of urinary tract infections. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1 in apple cider, orange, and grape juice when fortified with either 4% short chain or 4% long chain inulin fiber over 72 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. The secondary objective was to determine consumer acceptability of apple cider and orange juice samples using the hedonic scale. All of the fruit juice samples achieved a mean viable count of at least 10 7 CFU/mL during 72 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. According to the sensory evaluation, which evaluated samples according to appearance, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability, apple cider juice with long chain inulin fiber proved to have the highest score for all characteristics except appearance. Therefore, this study indicated a potential for probiotic fruit juices as a valid alternative to dairy based probiotic products

Effects of Iron Fortification on Microbiological, Physical, Chemical, and Organoleptic Properties of Yogurt

It has been shown that iron binds strongly to the proteins in milk, and our aim was to determine whether or not this binding was affected by lowering pH in the manufacture of yogurt. Iron-protein complexing was studied using two different techniques. 1) Skim milk was fortified with 10 mg iron/100 ml and the pH of the milk was adjusted to 6.7, 6.2, 5.8, 5.3, 4.5, and 4.0. The milk was fractionated by ultracentrifugation at 52,000 x g for 60 minutes. The pellets and serum were then analyzed for iron, calcium, and phosphorus content by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. SOS-PAGE gels were used to determine protein profiles in the pellets and serum. 2) Yogurt was made from milk fortified with FeCl3, iron complexed with casein, and iron complexed with whey proteins. Small samples of the yogurt were then freeze-dried on carbon coated grids and examined by transmission electron microscopy at 80 KV. Affinity of iron for milk proteins was independent of pH. Iron fortification of milk did not cause loss of calcium or phosphorus from casein micelles. Electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) showed that iron was bound to casein when yogurt was fortified with FeC13 or iron-casein complex. When fortified with iron-whey protein complex, the iron was distributed throughout the non-micellar portion of the yogurt. To determine effects of iron on yogurt quality, low-fat (2%) and nonfat iron fortified yogurt was made with three sources of iron: FeCl3, iron complexed with casein, and iron complexed with whey protein, at three levels (10, 20, 40 mg/kg). Iron content and lipid oxidation were determined over one month of storage at 4°C. Iron fortification had no effect on the rate of fermentation by the lactic cultures. There was no significant increase in oxidation levels between iron-fortified yogurt and unfortified yogurt (P \u3e .05). No differences in the appearance, mouth feel, flavor, and overall quality ,between iron-fortified yogurt and unfortified yogurt were detected in consumer sensory analysis. Our study showed that high quality iron-fortified yogurt could be manufactured without added food safety risks

Sensory Evaluation of Locally-grown Fruit Purees and Inulin Fibre on Probiotic Yogurt in Mwanza, Tanzania and the Microbial Analysis of Probiotic Yogurt Fortified with Moringa oleifera

The purpose of this study was to establish new food products that increase the nutritional value and health benefits of the probiotic yogurt currently used in the Western Heads East (WHE) Project in Mwanza, Tanzania. The probiotic yogurt has established health benefits, and product development through fortification must not adversely affect the acceptability of yogurt or the viability of the probiotics. Both sensory testing and microbial analysis testing were conducted. The products tested were yogurt fortified with locally-grown fruit purees with inulin and Moringa oleifera . The results of the sensory evaluation showed that all yogurts were not rated significantly different from the control, except for appearance. The avocado puree without inulin rated significantly lower in all categories. The microbial analysis showed that Moringa oleifera did not negatively affect the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 in MRS, milk or yogurt, although a significant decrease was found after 5 weeks of storage at 4 \u2103

A novel millet-based probiotic fermented food for the developing world

© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Probiotic yogurt, comprised of a Fiti sachet containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Streptococcus thermophilus C106, has been used in the developing world, notably Africa, to alleviate malnutrition and disease. In sub-Saharan African countries, fermentation of cereals such as millet, is culturally significant. The aim of this study was to investigate the fermentation capability of millet when one gram of the Fiti sachet consortium was added. An increase of 1.8 and 1.4 log CFU/mL was observed for S. thermophilus C106 and L. rhamnosus GR-1 when grown in 8% millet in water. Single cultures of L. rhamnosus GR-1 showed the highest _max when grown in the presence of dextrose, galactose and fructose. Single cultures of S. thermophilus C106 showed the highest _max when grown in the presence of sucrose and lactose. All tested recipes reached viable counts of the probiotic bacteria, with counts greater than 106 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL. Notably, a number of organic acids were quantified, in particular phytic acid, which was shown to decrease when fermentation time increased, thereby improving the bioavailability of specific micronutrients. Millet fermented in milk proved to be the most favorable, according to a sensory evaluation. In conclusion, this study has shown that sachets being provided to African communities to produce fermented milk, can also be used to produce fermented millet. This provides an option for when milk supplies are short, or if communities wish to utilize the nutrient-rich qualities of locally-grown millet

From Benchside to Community Research: Development of Affordable and Accessible Probiotic Foods in East Africa

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, confer health benefits. In 2004, Western Heads East brought Fiti to East Africa and trained women how to produce Fiti probiotic yogurt. Fiti is composed of a probiotic culture, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, and a starter strain, Streptococcus thermophilus C1062. This initiative has since empowered low-income groups to gain financial independence, particularly women. There are currently ~250 kitchens feeding over 250,000 consumers daily in East Africa. A challenge with accessing Fiti yoghurt is the fluctuating cost of milk and inconsistent supply of high quality milk. A potential solution is the consumption of Fiti through affordable non-dairy foods. Pilot studies reveal bacterial viability of Fiti probiotics in probiotic mango juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, mango juice, and millet porridge; there remains no sensory data on these products from East African populations. The research questions sought to examine how individuals in Tanzania and Kenya rated different non-dairy probiotic foods; how these ratings compared to probiotic yoghurt; and how these rating correlated with the willingness of individuals to consume non-dairy probiotic products

Effect of Micronutrient and Probiotic Fortified Yogurt on Immune-Function of Anti-Retroviral Therapy Naive HIV Patients

Background: Micronutrient supplementation has been shown to reduce the progression of HIV but does not have an effect on the intestinal barrier or the intestinal microbiota of HIV patients. Studies have suggested that probiotics could potentially complement micronutrients in preserving the immune-function of HIV patients. Objective: Assess the impact of micronutrient supplemented probiotic yogurt on the immune function of HIV patients. Design:We performed a randomized, double blind, controlled trial with CD4 count as primary outcome among HIV patients naïve to anti-retroviral treatment. Secondary outcomes included hematological parameters, incidence of diarrhea and clinical symptoms. A total of 112 HIV patients were randomized to receive a micronutrient fortified yogurt with (n = 55) or without additional probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 (n = 57) for four weeks. Results:An average decline in CD4 count of −70 cells/μL (95% CI: −154 to −15) was observed in the micronutrient, probiotic group versus a decrease of −63 cells/μL (95% CI: −157 to −30) in the micronutrient control group (p = 0.9). Additional probiotic supplementation was well tolerated and not associated with adverse events. No difference between groups was detected in incidence of diarrhea or clinical symptoms. An improvement of hemoglobin levels was observed for all subjects, based upon a mean difference from baseline of 1.4 g/L (SD = 6) (p = 0.02). Conclusion:The addition of probiotics to a micronutrient fortified yogurt was well tolerated by HIV patients but was not associated with a further increase in CD4 count after one month

Survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria bifidum in Ice Cream for Use as a Probiotic Food

Ice cream mix (12% fat, 11% milk solids nonfat, 12.5% sugar, and 4.5% corn syrup solids) was fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Half of the mix was heat treated at 82°C for 30 minutes and cooled to 40-41°C. The other half was warmed to 40-41°C and inoculated with the starter cultures. Both were made into ice cream and stored at -29°C. Survival of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum and of β-galactosidase activity were monitored during 17 weeks of frozen storage. Reinforced clostridial medium was used to enumerate culture bacteria. Colony counts, after fermentation, for both L. acidophilus and B. bifidum were about 5 x 108. The population of cultures decreased less than one log cycle after initial freezing. After 17 weeks storage the bacterial counts were 1 x 107 for B. bifidum and were 4 x 106 for L. acidophilus. During the same period, β-galactosidase activity decreased only 31%. Therefore, frozen fermented dairy products provide a good vehicle to supply β-galactosidase enzymes to people who are lactose maldigestors. Frozen fermented ice cream was prepared at four different pH\u27s (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5) by blending fermented mix with unfermented mix and then was frozen to produce samples for sensory evaluation. All samples were strawberry flavored. These were then evaluated by 88 judges. The preferred pH, based on overall acceptance, was 5.5. A second sensory evaluation was conducted to compare heat-treated with non-heat-treated ice cream. There were no significant differences in appearance, texture, flavor, and overall acceptance between the two samples. Our study shows that ice cream is a suitable vehicle for delivering these beneficial microorganisms and enzymes to consumers

Development of pulse-based probiotics by fermentation using Fiti sachets for the developing world

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: This study aims to determine the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 from Fiti sachets, in four widely consumed pulses, namely, black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea. The secondary objective was to determine the viability of the fermented pulses during 21 days of storage at 4°C. Design/methodology/approach: Each pulse sample was mixed with a Fiti sachet (one gram of freeze-dried consortium of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Streptococcus thermophilus C106) and fermented for up to 120 h. To assess the samples’ storage potential, they were refrigerated at 4°C for 21 days. Microbial enumerations and pH measurements were collected during fermentation and storage to determine the viability and fermentation potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Fiti, respectively. Findings: There was a significant (p = 0.01) difference in mean microbial counts in all pulse samples throughout fermentation. At 24 h of fermentation, the mean bacterial count of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 in black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea were 1.32 × 109 ± 0.11, 1.01 × 109 ± 0.16, 1.52 × 109 ± 0.14 and 0.80 × 109 ± 0.05 CFU/mL, respectively. Fermentation of pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea at 48 h yielded the highest bacterial count for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 while black-eyed pea reached its highest bacterial count at 72 h of fermentation. The bacterial concentration of all pulse samples remained at around 109 CFU/mL during the refrigeration period of 21 days at 4°C. Furthermore, the pH of all pulse samples were below 4.6 during both fermentation and refrigerated storage. Originality/value: Since 2004, the Fiti initiative has economically empowered hundreds of women in East Africa by teaching them how to produce and sell probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1. As a result, Fiti probiotic yogurt was made accessible to vulnerable populations in East Africa who face malnutrition, infectious diseases and environmental toxins. Because of recent climatic changes, milk has become more expensive and inaccessible for local communities. Furthermore, this study found that black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea can be viable and non-diary probiotic alternatives to the Fiti probiotic yogurt in Eastern Africa. This is also the first study of its kind to provide preliminary evidence showing pulses as non-dairy alternatives to Fiti probiotic yogurt