Bactérias probióticas e parâmetros de qualidade em um produto à base de leite coco

Abstract

Healthy eating is aim of many consumers, especially those with dietary restrictions, with increasing use of probiotics and interest in lactose-free foods. As probiotics are usually ingested in dairy foods, the objective of this study was to develop an alternative product prepared with coconut milk and addition of probiotics. Product was made with coconut milk and agar and inclusion of probiotic and fermenting bacteria, evaluating physical-chemical and microbiological quality during cooled storage. Samples were collected every fifteen days, until to 65 days of storage, evaluating pH, water activity, titratable acidity, molds and yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, total and fecal coliforms. Results for pH and water activity demonstrated conditions for proliferation of undesirable microorganisms and difficulties for maintenance of probiotic bacteria. The acidity varied between 0.11 and 0.14%, below the minimum limit recommended for fermented milks. Mean counts of lactic acid bacteria ranged from 3.40 to 4.09 log CFU/g, and yeasts and molds were 3.38 to 9.48 log CFU/g, respectively, below and above legal standards. This indicates that coconut milk product was not according to the fermented milk regulation, even with adequate results for total and fecal coliforms. In order for coconut milk product be an alternative vegetable food containing probiotics, it is necessary to add facilitators of multiplication of these bacteria, to control the processing and the storage, and to avoid the microbiological contamination.