Apple pomace is a major by-product obtained during apple juice processing. Several million metric tons of apple pomace are estimated to be generated worldwide every year. However, the recovery rate of this by-product is low. Pomace is commonly disposed and thrown away as a waste, which results in environmental problems and even public health hazards. As a by-product of the apple juice processing industries, pomace contains plenty of different varieties of nutritionally important compounds, such as carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, dietary fiber and minerals. These important compounds can be recovered from apple pomace, or there is even a possibility of using apple pomace in the food systems directly or after minimal processing. Therefore, apple pomace can be utilized in food products to improve their health benefits and commercial values. This review focuses on the current food applications and influence of apple pomace on the characteristics of various food products.

There is an increasing demand for non-dairy probiotic carriers such as fruit and vegetable juices. Probiotic Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis is predominantly used in the bakery industry, and its efficacy in fruit juices has not been studied sufficiently. Additionally, support from the carrier matrices for maintaining probiotic viability and gastrointestinal tolerance is important in selecting suitable vehicles for probiotic delivery. Three different non-dairy carrier juices (apple, orange and tomato) were tested for their ability to maintain L. sanfranciscensis viable during four weeks of refrigerated storage (4 °C). Their potential protection of L. sanfranciscensis against in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was also evaluated. Results indicated that the probiotics viability in all three juice samples met the recommended level for probiotic food (>106–107 cfu/mL) at the end of storage. However, all three juice samples showed a comparatively lower protective effect (p < 0.05) on the viability of L. sanfranciscensis when exposed to simulated gastric juice (pH = 2) at the end of 60 min and simulated intestinal juice with 0.3% (w/v) bile salt (pH = 8) at the end of 240 min exposure. In general, the three tested juices can be regarded as the potential non-dairy based carriers for L. sanfranciscensis. The future research is needed to improve the modification of the probiotic carriers in order to prolong the viability of L. sanfranciscensis during the gastrointestinal digestion.

In the present study, probiotic yogurt with Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 and Bifidobacterium BB12 was produced via fortification with chickpea flour (0, 1, 2.5, 5% w/v). During refrigerated storage for five weeks, probiotics maintained a viable count above the minimum therapeutic level (106 CFU/g) in all yogurt types. Although there was no significant (p > 0.05) positive effect of chickpea flour on probiotic viability during storage, the addition of chickpea flour has beneficial effects on the viability of both probiotic species in the presence of gastric and intestinal juices, with 0.3% bile. This study also evaluated the physio-chemical properties of probiotic yogurt during storage. Some physicochemical properties of yogurt, such as water holding capacity and susceptibility to syneresis, were enhanced by the addition of chickpea flour. Hence, chickpea flour could be an attractive pulse ingredient in the production of probiotic yogurts for health-conscious consumers.