| Summary: | Nowadays, there is a growing consumer demand for non-dairy functional foods due to several health issues related to milk and dairy consumption and increasing vegetarianism. Following that trend, in the present study emmer-based beverages were developed after flour gelatinization, fortification with fruit juices (blueberry, aronia, and grape) and fermentation with the potential probiotic strain <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> 2035. The produced beverages were subjected to a 4-week storage at 4 °C. The addition of juices significantly affected the physicochemical characteristics of the beverages, while resulting in increased red color. Total phenolic content (22.3–31.9 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g<sup>−1</sup>) and antioxidant activity (94–136 μmol Trolox equivalents 100 g<sup>−1</sup>) were significantly higher in the case of aronia juice followed by blueberry and grape juice. All beverages showed high values of apparent viscosity and water-holding capacity. <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> 2035 retained high viable counts during storage especially in beverages with fruit juices (>10<sup>8</sup> cells g<sup>−1</sup> up to 21st day) revealing a positive effect of the juices. The obtained results show that emmer-based beverages fortified with fruit juices (aronia, blueberry, and grape) have a great potential as carriers of probiotics, prebiotics and other functional compounds and may be served as an ideal alternative to dairy products.
|
|---|
