Development of a texturized passion fruit (Passiflora eduilis Sims.) product with carrageenan probiotic and prebiotic ingredients

Based on scientific evidence of the health benefits provided by fruits and vegetable (F&V), the food industry is very active introducing new products as alternatives for health-conscious consumers. This is quite pertinent in Latin America whose population follow diets high in carbohydrates and saturated fats, with low content of F&V. In this work, passion fruit pulp (Passora edulis Sims) was used to develop a texturized product employing a natural hydrocolloid, with added probioties and prebiotics as functional food ingredients, Materials and methods: Fresh pulp of Passora edulis Sims cultivated in Venezuela, adjusted with fructose, was texturized with carrageenan (1, 2 or 3% w/v), incorporating Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 and inulin or oligofructose. Bifidobacterium lactis Bb 12 was activated and grown under anaerobic conditions in Man Rogose Sharpe broth with HC1-cysteine, concentrated by centrifugation and the biomass aseptically added at three concentrations (0.7; 1 or 2% w/v) to the pulp with the incorporated carragenan, maintained at 40°C. The viability of the added bifidobacteria was essential to determine the temperature for the gelling process. The product was packed in capped glass jars and stored at 4°C. Both, the fruit pulp and the final gel were analyzed for soluble solids, color, pH, titratable acidity, water activity; mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, psychrophilic aerobic microorganisms, molds and yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria. Counts of Bifidobaterium sp., as well as sensory and instrumental texture evaluations were conducted in the final product along 21 days of refrigerated storage. A multi-factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation analysis was conducted. Results: A functional texturized passion fruit product was obtained with the following formulation: 50% of fruit pulp adjusted to 39.2 °Brix with fructose, 1% carrageenan, 1% calcium lactate, 2% oligofructose and 1% Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12. Conclusions: The final product was accepted by the sensory panel, was stable physical, chemical and microbiologically during the period evaluated, and maintained a bifidus concentration of 108 cfu/g, what confers the characteristics of a probiotic product with potential therapeutic properties. (Résumé d'auteur)