Effect of symbiotic interaction between a fructooligosaccharide and probiotic on the kinetic fermentation and chemical profile of maize blended rice beverages.

There is an important demand for the development of new non-dairy probiotic beverages in the functional food market. This work aimed to develop new fermented beverages from maize and rice. Lactobacillus plantarum CCMA 0743, Torulaspora delbrueckii CCMA 0235, and the commercial probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus LACA 4, were used as a mixed starter culture. Two prebiotic concentrations, 20 and 50g/L fructooligosaccharide (FOS) were tested. The growth of L. acidophilus LACA 4 was favored by 50g/L FOS and after refrigerated storage at 4°C for 28days, its population remained above 10(7)CFU/mL. Lactic and acetic acids were the main organic acids detected, at around 3.7 and 0.5g/L, respectively. Ethanol was present at <5g/L in non-alcoholic beverages. Fifty-five volatile compounds including acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, pyrazines and others, were detected. The sensorial analysis demonstrated that >50% of consumers liked slightly or liked extremely the beverages (scores from 6-9). Therefore, potential symbiotic cereal beverages were successfully obtained using a mix of lactic acid bacteria and yeast as a starter culture. This is an important step in the commercial production of alternative beverages from common food substrates for consumers.