Dados do Trabalho

Título

EFFECT OF GREEN BANANA BIOMASS ADDITION ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF KEFIR

Introdução

Kefir is a fermented milk with functional potential due to the presence of microorganisms capable of improving the intestinal microbial balance, producing beneficial effects on the individual's health. To make this product even more nutritionally attractive, the addition of green banana biomass (GBB) as a source of fiber can be an interesting strategy. Thus, this study evaluated the impact of adding GBB on the physicochemical characteristics (pH, titratable acidity, water holding capacity (WHC), water activity (Aw), and color (L*, a* and b*)) of kefir.

Material e Métodos

For this purpose, different concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) of GBB paste were dispersed into milk using a blender (1 min at 23°C), and then the kefir culture (0.1%) was added. Fermentation occurred for 12 h at 23°C and, after fermentation, the samples were cooled to 7°C for physicochemical analysis.

Resultados e Discussão

From the results obtained, no changes were observed in the pH values (4.33-4.38), titratable acidity (0.90-0.93 expressed as % lactic acid), and Aw (0.993-0.994). On the other hand, it was found that the higher the GBB concentration, the higher the WHC values (56.6% and 63.1% for the samples with 10% and 15% BBV, respectively) compared to the control (44.6%) (p<0.05). About color, all the parameters showed significant differences. For the a* parameter (green to red intensity) and b* (blue to yellow intensity), there was an increase (from -1.87 to -1.10 and from 2.71 to 6.86, respectively). At the same time, a reduction in the L* value (from 86.6 to 80.2 - luminosity) was observed as a result of the increase in GBB concentration (p<0.05).

Conclusão

Therefore, it can be concluded that adding green banana biomass to kefir could be an interesting alternative for increasing the WHC and, consequently, the stability of the beverage without affecting the pH and acidity. However, it is necessary to assess the impact of changes in product color on consumer sensory acceptance.