Chemical, microbiological and sensory viability of low-calorie, dairy-free kefir beverages from tropical mixed fruit juices

• Main Authors: Pedro Paulo Lordelo Guimarães Tavares, Emanuele Araújo dos Anjos, Renata Quartieri Nascimento, Larissa Farias da Silva Cruz, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Janice Izabel Druzian, Thâmilla Thalline Batista de Oliveira, Roberta Barreto de Andrade, Adriana Lúcia da Costa Souza, Karina Teixeira Magalhães-Guedes, Maria Eugênia de Oliveira Mamede
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
• Series: CyTA - Journal of Food
• Subjects: brazilian kefir; acceptance test; colors; shelf-life study; stevia
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2021.1906753

The use of non-dairy matrices for probiotic delivery can be beneficial for vegetarian, vegan and lactose intolerant consumers. Stevia rebaudiana extract can be used as sweetener to replace sucrose for glucose intolerants. This research evaluated the use of kefir grains to prepare a low-calorie, fruit-based kefir beverage. Fermentation was carried out by inoculating kefir grains into a mixture of mango and umbu pulps. Two beverages, one containing sucrose, and the other, stevia, were characterized according to their proximate composition and submitted to a 30-day shelf-life period at 5°C, evaluating lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, pH, acidity, color parameters, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, sensory acceptance, and purchase intention every 10 days. Lactic and acetic acids were analyzed at the beginning and end of the shelf-life. Both beverages showed probiotic potential. The stevia-sweetened beverage had lower calorie content and good sensory acceptance. These results support the possibility to develop low-calorie, fruit-based kefir beverages.