IMPROVING THE HEALTH BENEFITS AND QUALITY OF LABNEH USING PROBIOTIC BACTERIA

Abstract

The effects of adding different strains from probiotic bacteria on the properties of Labneh were studied. Five Labneh treatments were made. Control Labneh treatment ( C) was made by inoculating the milk with 0.03% of freeze dried normal youghurt starter. Another three treatments were made by inoculating milk with 0.03% freeze dried normal youghurt starter plus 1.0% from each of Lactobacillus acidophilus (T1), Bifidobacterium bifidum (T2) and Lactobacillus plantarum (T3), while the fifth treatment was made by inoculating the milk with 0.03% freeze dried normal youghurt starter plus 0.33% from each of the previous three stains as a mixture. The obtained results revealed that the type of probiotic bacteria added during the manufacture of Labneh affected significantly (p≤0.05) the chemical composition, microbiological, rheological and organoleptic properties of Labneh. Treatment (T4) that made with a mixture from probiotic bacteria contained the highest acidity, total solids, protein, fat, acetaldehyde and diacetyl followed by treatments T1 and T3 those made by adding L. acidophillus and L. plantarum respectively and then T2 and C treatments. Also treatment (T4) exhibited the highest values for Hardness, Adhesiveness, Cohesiveness, Springiness, Gumminess and Chewiness, which means improving the texture parameter, followed by Labneh treatments T1 and T2 and then T3 followed by C. Incorporating of probiotic bacteria improved the organoleptic properties  and gained higher scores than control Labneh treatments. Although all Labneh treatments were accepted by the panelists, Labneh treatment (T3) that was made by adding L.plantarum gained the highest scores of organoleptic properties and was the most acceptable Labneh treatment T1 and T4 , then T2, followed by treatments. Titratable acidity, total solids, protein, fat and ash contents and values of Hardness, Adhesiveness, Cohesiveness, Springiness, Gumminess and Chewiness increased during storage period, while pH values and lactose content decreased. Diacetyl and acetaldehyde content increased up to the seventh day of storage period then decreased as storage period proceeded. The counts of each probiotic bacteria even at the end of storage period was higher than the number should be present to achieve their health benefits, therefore Labneh could be a promising vehicle to deliver the probiotic bacteria to the consumers.