Potential of Probiotic Frozen Blackcurrant Products: Consumer Preference, Physicochemical Characterization, and Cell Viability

Blackcurrant is a healthy, affordable, and traditionally gardened berry that, thus far, has been underused in food applications. From the consumers’ point of view, the acidic taste of blackcurrants is a challenge; therefore, these berries have mainly been utilized for sugary juice production. This r...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kati Väkeväinen, Noora Rinkinen, Roosa-Maria Willman, Jenni Lappi, Kaisa Raninen, Anna Kårlund, Santtu Mikkonen, Carme Plumed-Ferrer, Marjukka Kolehmainen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/4/792
Description
Summary:Blackcurrant is a healthy, affordable, and traditionally gardened berry that, thus far, has been underused in food applications. From the consumers’ point of view, the acidic taste of blackcurrants is a challenge; therefore, these berries have mainly been utilized for sugary juice production. This research study aimed to develop a frozen vegan blackcurrant product with pleasant sensory properties and potential probiotic function. A candidate probiotic, <i>Lactoplantibacillus plantarum</i> Q823, was used in the manufacturing process. The physicochemical properties, nutritional composition, and consumer preference for the developed product were assessed, as was the viability of <i>L. plantarum</i> Q823 during storage time and in an in vitro gastrointestinal model. Consumers (<i>n</i> = 71) perceived the developed product to be pleasant. <i>L. plantarum</i> Q823 had high viability counts (log colony forming units (cfu) g<sup>−1</sup> 7.0 ± 0.38) in the final product, although the viability of <i>L. plantarum</i> Q823 during storage time needs to be enhanced to obtain a probiotic product. Thus, within an optimized formulation, blackcurrant berries represent a potential raw material for functional frozen food products.
ISSN:2304-8158