DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL PROBIOTIC PINEAPPLE FRUIT JUICE DRINK USING LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS AND STREPTOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS

This study was aimed to determine the suitability of pineapple fruit juices as substrates for the production of probiotic fruit juices by probiotication method using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Fresh and edible pineapple fruits and culture containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus were used in this study. A custom fermenter was fabricated to facilitate controlled fermentation, and the fermentation process was carried for seven days using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus as starter culture. After seven days fermentation, aliquot of the fermented fruit juice sample was taken and microbial count, physico-chemical properties and proximate analysis were carried out on it using standard methods. The viable cells count after fermentation were 4.0 x 102Cfu/ml and 1.0 x 104Cfu/ml respectively. The microorganisms isolated after the fermentation process were Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The values obtained from the physicochemical analysis were 5.7480 and 4.4963 for turbidity NTU, 3.5925 and 2.8102 for colour TCU, 3731.5 and 3631.8 for viscosity and 6000 for TDS (mg/l) respectively. The proximate composition of pineapple fruit juice were observed moisture content of 80.3%, protein content of 2.5%, fat content of 0.12%, Ash content of 0.46%, Fibre content of 1.40% and carbohydrate of 15.22%. This research work suggests that the production of fruit juice by fermentation with probiotics Healthy bacteria like L. acidophilus can boost the immune system and thus help reduce the risk of viral infections. In fact, some studies have suggested that probiotics may prevent and improve symptoms of the common cold