Abstract:
This study was carried out to develop safe probiotic fermented banana
beverages. Different stages of banana were peeled, 10% (W/V) pulp was
blended, cooked, cooled to room temperature, and malted rice flour was
added and mixed well to obtain the beverage. Moreover, 10% skim milk was
prepared to obtain the re-constituted skim milk. Beverages were sterilized
(121ºC for 15 minutes), cooled (37ºC), and inoculated with 3% active
Bifidobacterium longum BB 536 culture followed by incubation at 37 º C for
48 hours to obtain the fermented beverage. Fermented samples were drawn
for analysis of Bifidobacterium viable cells, pH, TSS, moisture content, and
microbiological safety. Bifidobacterium longum BB536 significantly (p < 0.5)
increased by fermentation continuation in all beverages as compare to strain
essential levels at the beginning of fermentation. The viable number of strain
BB 536 at maximum growth (36 h) was more than 6 log CFU/ml (the number
required to fulfill probiotics product) in all fermented beverages; except ripe
banana beverage and that may be due to its high starch content as compared
with medium over ripe and over ripe banana. On the other hand, TSS
significantly (0<-0.5) decreased due to metabolic activity of strain BB 536
and break down of some macro-components. During growth acids were
produced results in significant (0<-0.5) decreased of pH. While moisture
significantly (0<-0.5) decreased by increase in strain biomass. Yeast and
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Mould, Fecal Streptococcus, Staphylococcus Aurous, and E. Coli, were not
found in all strain BB 536 fermented beverages. Moreover, salmonella was
not detected in any of the fermented beverages. The absence of these
pathogenic bacteria is due to the bifidogenic affect of strain BB 536.
Therefore, formulation of safe strain BB 536 fermented banana beverage is
successful. On the other hand, the strain BB 536 survived for the first week
of storage in all fermented beverage to a level fulfil the requirement of
probiotic products. Moreover, it survived for two week in fermented reconstituted
skim milk and medium over ripe banana beverages recording
viable counts of 6 log CFU/ml and 6.11 log CFU/ml, respectively.
