QUARK CHEESE PRODUCED WITH KEFIR AND AGAVE INULIN

Quark cheese is a cheese of fresh mass obtained by coagulation of the milk by the action mainly of lactic bacteria obtaining a cheese of refreshing flavor with high acidity, in its commercial production a specific starter culture is used, in the present work this culture was replaced by kefir, a symbiotic system of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, which is considered a probiotic product. Agave inulin is a soluble fiber considered prebiotic with ability to improve the balance of the intestinal flora. The objective of this work was to develop Quark cheese using kefir as a starter culture and supplemented with agave inulin. Cheeses were produced by fermentation for 24h / 25ºC followed by drainage of the whey, in the supplemented cheese 3% of inulin was added, after whey drainage cheeses were kept in plastic pots under refrigeration temperature until the moment of the analyses. Microbiological evaluations, pH and acidity were performed at 1, 7 and 14 days after manufacture. The results of the physical-chemical analyses remained close to those found in the literature. Cheeses showed high counts of Lactobacilli indicating their probiotic potential, the addition of agave inulin decreased the number of these microorganisms, nevertheless they remained in high counts. It can be verified that the use of kefir in the production of Quark cheese is feasible, mainly in artisanal productions because it is usually inexpensive and easy to maintain, Lactobacilli have remained stable during the storage period.