PRODUCTION OF PROBIOTIC-FERMENTED RICE MILK BEVERAGE FORTIFIED WITH CACTUS PEAR AND PHYSALIS PULP

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 1. Food Sci. Dept. (Rural Home Econ.), Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

2 2. Food Sci. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

Fermented rice milk beverage fortified with cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) and physalis (Physalis peruviana) fruit pulps were prepared and stored at 5°C for 12 days. The fruit pulps were added at the rate of 10% and 20% (W/W) of probiotic rice milk. Physico-chemical of fermented rice milk beverages including total solids, protein, fat, fiber and ash were determined along the storage period. Acidity, pH, viscosity, microbiological and organoleptic properties were evaluated at zero time, 4, 8, and 12 days of storage at 5°C. There were significant differences between control and fermented rice milk beverages enriched with fruit pulps in terms of pH, total solids, protein, fiber, ash, content and titratable acidity during storage. The results revealed that acidity increased all over the storage time. The lowest value for viscosity was observed in fermented rice milk beverage containing 20% physalis pulps.  A significant increase in bothDPPH inhibition (%) and TPC as compared to control sample, 20%physalis showed significantly higher values for both DPPH inhibition (%) and TPC. The count of S. thermophilus, L. acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium BB-12 were above 7 log cfu mL-1 at the end of storage period in all treatments. Sensory evaluation revealed significant differences between control and fermented rice milk beverage samples. The fermented rice milk beverage containing 20% cactus pear pulp had the highest overall acceptability score when compared to control and other treatment samples. The results of the current investigation demonstrated that the addition of cactus pear and physalis pulps to fermented rice milk beverage significantly improved the quality of resultant fermented rice milk beverage.

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