Fermentation of dehydrated fruit juices by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with prebiotic supplementation as non-dairy functional beverages

This study elucidates the impact of prebiotics, specifically inulin and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), on the fermentation of dehydrated fruit juices. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, a probiotic strain, was employed as the fermentative agent, with growth dynamics monitored over 72 hours across various fruit juice substrates; mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, cranberry and mixed berry juices. Results revealed that inulin supplementation notably enhanced L. plantarum proliferation, surpassing GOS and lactose controls across diverse fruit juice matrices, with the highest growth observed at 12 hours in mango juice (1.32 ± 0.014) and 24 hours in pineapple juice (0.68 ± 0.003). The prebiotic index for inulin-supplemented juices was consistently above one, indicating positive probiotic growth. Lactic acid production was also higher in inulin-supplemented juices, with mango juice reaching 10.22 ± 0.004 g/L compared to 8.66 ± 0.007 g/L in the control. Further investigations encompassed free radical scavenging activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes and lipid digestion enzyme inhibition, unveiling nuanced effects influenced by prebiotics and fermentation. Notably, a comprehensive heat-map analysis provided insights into the metabolic alterations induced by fermentation and prebiotic supplementation. These findings suggest that fermented fruit juices supplemented with inulin have the potential to offer enhanced nutritional value and health benefits.