Resumen del producto

Functional foods contain components that improve specific body functions beyond its nutritional value. Probiotics are microorganisms that promote beneficial effects in the host when administered live in adequate amounts. Their growth and metabolic activity in the digestive tract is also stimulated by oligosaccharides known as prebiotics. Traditionally, functional foods marketed with probiotics and prebiotics are dairy food. However, there is an active research field dedicated to find innovative solutions for maintaining probiotics viability in new food environments (e.g. in dried foods). The viability of probiotics in functional foods has been both a marketing and technological challenge for industrial producers, because food should maintain an adequate level of viable cells (1E +06 to 1E +08 CFU g^-1 or mL^-1) until be consumed. The aim of this study was to develop a technology to incorporate probiotic bacteria in cereal bars, and achieve it remain viable in the recommended levels along shelf life. Bacillus coagulan, Lactobacillus plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. casei and L. acidophilus strains were selected for their probiotic capabilities and were obtained from commercial sources. Two immobilization strategies of probiotic bacteria mixture were evaluated for subsequent incorporation into cereal bars (alginate beads and a lipid matrix) adding inulin as prebiotic. The bacterial count in the freshly prepared cereal bars was expressed as CFU g^-1, and the storage time effect was analyzed on bacterial viability until five months. Evaluations were performed in triplicate. The viability of probiotics was significantly reduced in alginate beads after they were dried for 2 h at 35°C. In contrast, the viability of the probiotics mixture remained constant along five months in the lipid matrix added onto the cereal bars. This trend indicates that viability could be maintained longer.

Palabras clave: Functional foods; prebiotic; shelf life

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