Cerrado cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica) cloudy and clarified beverages: Effect of kefir fermentation and inulin addition

• Published in: Food bioscience Vol. 61; p. 104767
• Main Authors: Santos, Daiane Costa dos, Pimentel, Tatiana Colombo, Sousa, Tainara Leal de, Almeida, Adrielle Borges de, Oliveira, Marilene Silva, Oliveira Filho, Josemar Gonçalves de, Silva, Fabiano Guimarães, Egea, Mariana Buranelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Alcoholic beverage; Fermented products; Functional foods; Prebiotics; Alcoholic beverage; Functional foods; Fermented products; Prebiotics
• ISSN: 2212-4292; 2212-4306
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2024.104767

This study evaluated the effects of kefir fermentation and inulin addition on the characteristics of cloudy or clarified cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica (Mart.) DC.) beverages. The products were evaluated for their physicochemical and functional characteristics, microbiological viability, and microbiota profile during refrigerated storage (7 °C, 28 days). The kefir fermentation resulted in a decrease in pH and total soluble solids and an increase in titratable acidity and alcohol content. Furthermore, it reduced sedimentation value and increased bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid and carotenoids) in cloudy beverages. The cloudy fermented beverage showed a predominance of the genus Pseudarthrobacter, while SporoLactobacillus and Lactobacillus were the dominant genera in the clarified beverage. The inulin addition did not change the characteristics of the non-fermented beverages. Still, it increased the Lactobacillus (1.10 and 0.54 Log UFC/mL for cloudy and clarified beverages, respectively), yeast (0.62 and 0.42 Log UFC/mL for cloudy and clarified beverages, respectively), and Lactococcus (5.66 and 5.51 Log UFC/mL for cloudy and clarified beverages, respectively) viabilities during refrigerated storage and resulted in cloudy fermented products with less sedimentation and greater functional properties (antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities). The cloudy beverage added with inulin showed a greater abundance of the Ziziphus genera (94%), while the clarified beverage added with inulin showed a predominance of Pseudarthrobacter (85.51%). During storage, there was a decrease in total soluble solids and an increase in pH and the concentration of bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid) in kefir-fermented beverages. It is concluded that kefir fermentation and inulin addition contribute to the physicochemical, functional, and microbiological characteristics of cagaita beverages. [Display omitted]