Potential of Probiotic Frozen Blackcurrant Products: Consumer Preference, Physicochemical Characterization, and Cell Viability

Abstract

Blackcurrant is a healthy, affordable, and traditionally gardened berry that, thus far, has been underused in food applications. From the consumers’ point of view, the acidic taste of blackcurrants is a challenge; therefore, these berries have mainly been utilized for sugary juice production. This research study aimed to develop a frozen vegan blackcurrant product with pleasant sensory properties and potential probiotic function. A candidate probiotic, Lactoplantibacillus plantarum Q823, was used in the manufacturing process. The physicochemical properties, nutritional composition, and consumer preference for the developed product were assessed, as was the viability of L. plantarum Q823 during storage time and in an in vitro gastrointestinal model. Consumers (n = 71) perceived the developed product to be pleasant. L. plantarum Q823 had high viability counts (log colony forming units (cfu) g−1 7.0 ± 0.38) in the final product, although the viability of L. plantarum Q823 during storage time needs to be enhanced to obtain a probiotic product. Thus, within an optimized formulation, blackcurrant berries represent a potential raw material for functional frozen food products.

Characterization of Fruit Sorbet Matrices with Added Value from Zizyphus jujuba and Stevia rebaudiana

“…When evaluating the protein content, it is evident from Table 3 that the studied sorbet matrices cannot contribute to the daily diet in terms of protein. These results are quite similar to the ones reporting the protein content of frozen blackcurrant products [ 26 ]. The inclusion of jujube powder was beneficial in terms of proteins for the recipe, although it could not significantly influence its content.…”

“…The moisture content is quite similar with the exception of the SSR variant where stevia was used. The other sorbet matrices have comparable moisture content to data published in previous papers [ 26 ]. The ash content decreased with the increased jujube content in the sorbets.…”

“…The results concerning the pH of the sorbets show similarity not only among the studied variations, but also to other frozen desserts, such as frozen blackcurrant products [ 26 ] and passion fruit ice creams [ 26 , 27 ]. The lowest obtained pH value (control 3.37) does not correspond to the lowest TTA value (SR15 0.18).…”

“…Some papers [ 26 ] comment on the connection between the melting behavior and the overrun of ice creams. Thus, the overrun of the sorbet variations is given in Table 5 and the calculated melting rate is presented in Figure 3 .…”

Native Cyclodextrins and Their Derivatives as Potential Additives for Food Packaging: A Review

“…Among the applications of α-CDs in the Food Industry, it is worth mentioning their role as an emulsifier agent, as a functional ingredient, and as a carrier and stabilizing agent for different molecules, such as hormones and flavorings [25][26][27]. Furthermore, its ability to act as a host for smaller bioactive components opens doors for its use in the development of active packaging.…”