title: Synbiotic functional drink from Jerusalem artichoke juice fermented by probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum PCS26.
abstract: A probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum PCS26 was used to ferment Jerusalem artichoke juice. Growth kinetics of the bacterial strain was followed during juice fermentation both in flask and in laboratory fermentor. Jerusalem artichoke showed to be an excellent source of nutrients for L. plantarum PCS26 growth. The culture grew very well reaching more than 10(10) cfu/ml in just 12 h. The pH changed from the initial 6.5 to 4.6 at the end of fermentation. The culture hydrolyzed fructooligosaccharides present in the Jerusalem artichoke juice, yielding fructose which was presumably consumed along with the malic acid as energy and carbon source. Lactic acid was the main metabolite produced in concentration of 4.6 g/L. Acetic and succinic acid were also identified. Sensory evaluation of the fermented Jerusalem artichoke juice and its mixtures with blueberry juice showed that the 50/50 % v/v mixture would be very well accepted by the consumers. Above 80 % of the panelists would buy this drink, and over 60 % were willing to pay more for it. Culture survivability in the fermented juices during storage at 4-7 °C was assayed by the Weibullian model. The product shelf-life was extended from 19.70 ± 0.50 days of pure Jerusalem artichoke juice to 35.7 ± 6.4 days of the mixture containing 30 % blueberry juice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Rudjer Boskovic 16, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Darko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitrovski
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Rudjer Boskovic 16, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Velickova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Macedonia, 50 Divizija 6, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dimitrovska
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Pivola 10, 2311 Hoce, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Tomaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Langerholc
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Rudjer Boskovic 16, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Winkelhausen
keywords: Jerusalem artichoke; Lactobacillus plantarum; Weibullian model; probiotic; synbiotic beverage