Caracterização de micro-organismos com potencial probiótico isolados a partir de kefir produzidos na região noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The consumption of functional foods has increased over the years, the awareness of the population to purchase foods that benefit health. Among the main and most functional foods are consumed fermented milk. The kefir is fermented milk that has stood out for its natural functional origin, with significant effects on health when consumed regularly, and despite not being marketed in Brazil is easily found by hand. Thus, the study of this important source functional food has gained ground among researchers, and the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the craft of kefir northwest region of Rio Grande do Sul State and the characteristics of probiotic lactic acid bacteria in the product. Eight kefir samples were analyzed produced by hand in the northwest region of of Rio Grande do Sul. The samples were cultured in the laboratory and fermented milk subjected to physical, chemical and microbiological analyzes. The physicochemical analyzes the moisture, ash, fat, total and degreased dry extract, protein, acidity, titratable acidity, pH, water activity and color. In the microbiological evaluation, the samples were subjected to counting of yeasts and molds and analysis the most probable numbers of total and fecal coliforms. We also assessed the potential of probiotic the isolated by BALs antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria strains of reference and resistance tests to acidic conditions and bile salts. In this work, we can to observe that the handmade kefir of the study area has similar characteristics between the different samples, both in physicochemical as microbiological parameters, and some isolates have important features in regard to the probiotic potential. However, we suggest further studies, especially in relation to microbiological behavior to assess more parameters to classify this as a functional food.