Stabilization of probiotic beverages using clay-based materials

Abstract

Probiotic-based fortifying beverages have recently gained popularity due to their numerous health benefits. The ability of probiotic beverages to improve digestion is one of their main advantages. These beverages include live bacteria that can help restore the proper balance of intestinal flora, necessary to maintain a healthy digestive system. Beverages enriched with prebiotics such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols or other bioactive compounds present products with increased biological value. The present research focuses on the production and stabilization of probiotic beverages based on local and traditional materials (wheat bran, sour borscht) with the addition of red grape pomace extracts and berries. The fermentation capacity and quality indices of the drinks obtained based on endogenous and exogenous microorganisms were tested. Since the production process involves stages with unstable colloidal phases over time, which influence the stability and shelf life of the product, the ability of clay-based materials to clarify and stabilize the prepared fortifying beverages was tested. The content of bioactive substances (polyphenols, vitamins, carotenoids), antioxidant capacity and biological value of the beverages, which are rich in both probiotics and prebiotics, were determined.