Nutrition & Food Sciences

Biography

Biography: Farag Saleh

Abstract

Recently, scientists interested in functional food, especially probiotic food which has many health benefits. Probiotic microorganisms expose to many risks during their presence in food products and after passing through gastrointestinal tract as well. Therefore, the a main goal of this study to try to keep probiotic bacteria alive in date products during storage period and after eating. Free and calcium alginate microencapsulated Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 were mixed with date paste and date syrup (Dibs) and exposed to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, to observe its effects on viability of  on B. lactis. The results showed that date paste and Dibs have a protective effect to the free bacteria and increased protection of encapsulated bacteria when compared to free bacteria without mixing with a date paste and Dibs. The viable counts of probiotic bacteria were numerated in date paste and Dibs during storage. At the end of the seventh week from storage period, the numbers of free B. lactis were reduced in both date paste and Dibs for up to 10⁶ cfu/g, while the numbers of encapsulated bacteria remained at 10⁷ cfu/g. The microencapsulated bacteria retained the numbers up to 10⁶ cfu/g until week ten. The changes in pH values, production of organic acid and color of date paste and Dibs were monitored during storage period. The sensory analysis of date products fortified with probiotic bacteria were evaluated. The results showed that the addition of both free and encapsulated probiotic bacteria did not show any significant effect on the sensory properties of date products. This study has  shown the microencapsulation protected Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 from the high sugars concentration of date products and simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Such of this product will provide an alternative probiotic food choice for consumers and could be particularly appealing to children.