Storage study of prepared probiotic beverage by blending apple and orange juice

Abstract

The probiotic beverage was prepared by blending apple and orange juice (60:40) of Total Soluble Solids (TSS) 130 Brix, inoculated using 10% mixed culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (1:1) and fermented for 5 hrs was standardized. The physico-chemical characteristics of beverage were changed TSS (13 to 11.7 0Brix), pH (5.30 to 5.21), acidity (0.51 to 0.72%) and ascorbic acid (22.15 to 15 mg/100mL) in the fourth week of storage. The overall acceptability score of the sample was found to be continuously decreasing during a storage period of 4 weeks. The number of probiotic bacteria increased from an initial number of 2.8 x 109 to 4.5 x 109during second week of storage. However, viable counts of probiotic bacteria decreased after third and forth weeks of storage at refrigerated temperature. The microbial analysis of beverage was found to be free form yeast, mold and coliform bacteria. Finally, it can be concluded that probiotic beverage prepared by blending apple and orange juice was potential carrier of viable cells with good organoleptic characteristics in 4 weeks storage period.