Frozen dairy and cheese categories offer extended shelf life for probiotics.
Consumer awareness of the health benefits of probiotics continues to grow and more consumers are abandoning probiotic supplements and looking for real food carriers.
Traditionally, yogurt and fermented milk drinks have been the primary delivery vehicles for probiotics. But probiotics are showing up in other categories, including frozen dairy desserts, cottage cheese, and plant-based beverages.
While these products may provide an opportunity for extended shelf life and protection of yogurt culture viability, each has its technical challenges. Let’s explore the array of potential dairy foods that might deliver probiotics.
- Probiotics in frozen dairy
The most common claims for probiotics are “contains probiotics” or a statement about the level of beneficial bacteria in the product. For companies to make a probiotic claim, the species should be present at an efficacious level at the end of the product’s shelf life. Frozen dairy provides some technical advantages for extended shelf life; therefore, numerous frozen dairy products with probiotics are showing up in the market.
Ice cream and frozen dairy products are excellent carriers of probiotics. A standard portion of ice cream can provide a meaningful dose (109 CFU) of probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM or Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 with virtually no loss of viability after 12 months of storage.
Rapid freezing of the ice cream mix contributes to probiotic stability. Various studies have shown that ice cream maintains probiotic viability over six to 12 months of storage.
Ways to improve probiotic stability include selecting strains that are resistant to freezing, adjusting the formula by adding prebiotics, keeping the product pH above 5.5, and minimizing oxygen.
- Cheese and cottage cheese
Cheese and cottage cheese are also excellent vehicles for probiotics. Cheese, because of its pH, buffering capacity and fat content, provides additional protection for probiotics passing the gastrointestinal tract.
Servings of these foods have been shown to be able to deliver a meaningful dose [109 CFU] of probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001. Some products include L acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and four strains of lactic cultures.
- Unique dairy products with probiotics
Lifeway also produces the bioKEFIR high-potency probiotic, which has 50 billion CFU in a 100-milliliter serving. Three custom formulations support immunity, digestion, and heart health.
JoeFroyo Probiotic Cold Brew, meanwhile, combines probiotics with lactose-free cultured milk and Arabica cold-brew coffee; it is currently available in several western states.
Numerous plant-based milk and yogurt alternatives also tout probiotics.
Research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information has stated that supplements are an effective carrier for probiotics, but probiotic foods have the upper hand.
Reference:
https://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/93746-novel-dairy-categories-deliver-probiotics
