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In recent years, global demand for functional foods grew tremendously due to the rising trend of health-conscious consumers. Driven by increased awareness of probiotic products, consumption of yogurt drink is gaining popularity across all age groups. In the present study, the authors aimed to assess sensorial, nutritional and technological properties of synbiotic yogurt drink enriched with prebiotic inulin.

Sensory analysis, proximate compositions, viscosity, viable count and DPPH radical scavenging activity were examined in control (without inulin) and 3 variants of inulin-supplemented synbiotic yogurt drink, namely F1 (4%, inulin), F2 (4.5% inulin) and F3 (5% inulin).

Evaluated by 75 consumer panellists on 9-point hedonic scales, F3 showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher overall acceptability (5.79 ± 1.94) compared to control. In addition to lower calorie content (36.52 kcal/100 ml), nutritional and technological properties of F3 [total dietary fibre content (4.03 ± 0.04 g/100 ml), viscosity (28 ± 6.93 cP), viable count (87.00 ± 4.00 × 106 CFU/ml S. thermophilus; 14.67 ± 3.51 × 106 CFU/ml L. bulgaricus) and antioxidant activity (50.40 ± 1.80%)] were significantly (p < 0.05) improved compared to control. Remarkably, the new formulation complied with nutrient criteria for Healthier Choice Logo Malaysia in addition to meeting requirements for “low fat” and “high dietary fibre” contents according to Malaysia Guide to Nutrition Labelling and Claims. Hence, we conclude that 5% inulin improved nutritional and technological characteristic in synbiotic yogurt drink without compromising consumers' acceptance.

This novel study showcases the incorporation of prebiotic inulin in the development of synbiotic yogurt drink. Remarkably, this new formulation complied with the nutrient criteria for Healthier Choice Logo Malaysia in addition to meeting the requirements for “low fat” and “high dietary fibre” contents according to Malaysia Guide to Nutrition Labelling and Claims. More importantly, results have contributed knowledge to existing literature as well as benefits food manufacturers in creating healthy yogurt drinks to better meet the needs and expectations of health-conscious consumers without compromising hedonic perceptions.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the variety of food in which it has been applied as a prebiotic and functional ingredient, the concentrations used there in, the tests that have been conducted on these fortified foods and briefly reviews the history and characteristics of inulin.

The review included articles from 1999-2013. The papers which reported inulin concentrations used, the purpose of the application and tests on final product, were mainly selected. Articles were collected in electronic databases such as Elsevier-Science Direct, Emerald, Springer Link, Wiley and Redalyc.

The interaction inulin-food with different food matrices is complex, and is not always technologically favorable for the product. Moreover, additional to evaluations of sensory, physicochemical and rheological characteristics, it is essential to carry out measurements in the food, of such characteristics as prebiotic content, and prebiotic activity in vivo and in vitro, and assess potential adverse reactions in order to define suitable doses of consumption.

The paper highlights the importance of conducting in vitro and in vivo testing of potential prebiotic inulin-supplemented food in order to define dose that benefit health and do not cause unacceptable gastrointestinal distress.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the viability of probiotics, physicochemical and sensory properties of reduced fat synbiotic ice cream.

The treatments were as follows: control was made by the addition of Lactobacillus salivarius NBIMCC 1589 and Lactobacillus crispatus NBIMCC 2451 (1:1). The treatments (T1, T2 and T3) were made with the addition of L. salivarius NBIMCC 1589 and L. crispatus NBIMCC 2451 (1:1) + 2% oat flour, 2% inulin and 4% oat flour + inulin (1:1). Physiochemical parameters (pH, moisture, fat, protein, fibre, ash, overrun, first dripping time and melting rate) were determined.

The ice cream with inulin and oat flour had lower moisture content, which was recorded 70.41, 69.88 and 68.82% for T1, T2 and T3, respectively. While the protein, fat and ash content of treated samples increased. The highest acidity (0.43%) was recorded in T3. The overrun increased by around 43% in T3 compared with control. The viable counts of probiotics were significantly (p = 0.05) decreased by two or three log cycles. Finally, T3 received the highest sensory score, which could be due to the combination between oat flour and inulin.

A novel ice cream was produced using a combination of inulin and oat flour, which enhanced the viability of added probiotics. Reduced fat synbiotic ice cream was a good carrier for probiotics, which facilitates the production of healthy dairy products.

Optimum balance of intestinal microbiota can be modulated by such dietary means as probiotics and prebiotics. Combination of probiotics and prebiotics could improve the survivality of probiotic candidate due to availability of substrate for its fermentation and confer greater advantages to the host. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of prebiotics as functional foods.

The paper explores the selection criteria for prebiotic, their postulated health benefits and safety aspects for their inclusion in infant formula. Potentiality of prebiotics for their exploitation as functional foods has also been delineated.

Probiotics, when applied in conjugation with prebiotics give rise to another possibility in microflora management technique known as synbiotics, which could improve the survivality of probiotic candidate and confer greater advantages to the host. Inclusion of prebiotics like fructo‐oligosaccharide and galacto‐oligosaccharide as infant formula ingredients is suggested. Health benefit properties of prebiotics suggest their application as functional foods.

Ingestion of cultured milk products containing probiotic cultures and prebiotics may provide health benefits in terms of colonization and normalization of intestinal flora and could be recommended for consumption as functional foods.

The purpose of this study was the development and the nutritional, physical-chemical and sensorial characterization of probiotic and synbiotic sorbets elaborated with jussara pulp (Euterpe edulis), Lactobacillus spp. and polydextrose.

Five formulations of jussara sorbets (one control, two probiotics and two synbiotics) were produced and evaluated according to their centesimal composition, pH, soluble solids, instrumental color, overrun, apparent density, sensory acceptability and purchase intent.

All sorbets exhibited low calorific value, with no difference between them (p = 0.96). The synbiotic samples (S3 and S5) showed the higher carbohydrate (30.4 and 30.2 per cent) and crude fiber content (0.4 and 0.5 per cent). Regarding to sensory acceptance, the probiotic samples (S2 and S4) presented greater global acceptability (averages acceptance 6.4 and 6.6, respectively) while the polydextrose samples (S3 and S5) showed low values (5.9 for both samples), although this prebiotic was able to increase the overrun to values above 40 per cent.

The functional jussara sorbets are a promising possibility for diversification of the probiotic foods already offered. The combination of its probiotic, prebiotic and bioactive properties can provide technological improvement and superior nutritional quality, with good sensorial acceptance. Likewise, jussara pulp showed nutritional properties favorable to its application in the food industry, which can help preserve its endangered palm tree.

The probiotics and synbiotics jussara sorbets showed to be adequate as a lactose-free and low-calorie functional product, with high nutritional, commercial and ecological value. Also, it was possible to notice that while the addition of probiotics improved the sensorial acceptance of jussara sorbets, polydextrose raised the technological quality by increasing its overrun.

This paper aims to discuss the limitations surrounding the yoghurt industry and challenges to producing a bio-yoghurt tablet. The paper looks into challenge facing the yoghurt industry, such as manufacturing and distribution, its short shelf life, heat-sensitivity and relatively heavy weight. It further looks into the selection of strains, excipients and storage conditions with special consideration towards maintaining the viability of the probiotics inside bio-yoghurt tablets. The paper also discusses yoghurt standards and definitions across various countries and suggests a more uniform standard be embraced across countries for ease of categorization and production.

The paper is divided into a few major sections; each exploring various aspects of the yoghurt industry. Topics discussed include challenges in yoghurt production and storage; processes involved in bio-yoghurt tablet production, e.g. maximising viability, choice of excipients and more; market trends of yoghurt consumption and potential; and various food standards in countries around the world with a focus on yoghurt.

The review finds that yoghurt is a segment of the food industry with big growth potential. Most of the problems associated with yoghurt, i.e. poor shelf life, and heavy weight, can be circumvented by transforming it into a bio-yoghurt tablet. The paper further identifies food standard variations among different countries around the world which could impede yoghurt manufacture and acceptance.

This paper looks the various challenges surrounding the increased uptake of yoghurt, specifically in the Asian markets and suggests a viable option to overcome this problem, i.e. the use of a bio-yoghurt tablet. Should the worldwide bodies come together and agree to a universal standard involving yoghurt, the industry may see an even bigger expansion.

The purpose of this article is to attempt to highlight various approaches for enhancing the viability of probiotics, with special emphasis on micro‐encapsulation.

Various techniques, such as selection of acid and bile resistant strains, use of oxygen impermeable packaging materials, two‐step fermentation, stress adaptation, inclusion of micro‐nutrient, sonication of bacteria and micro‐encapsulation, which could be employed for maintaining or enhancing probiotic viability are discussed, with special emphasis on micro‐encapsulation.

Probiotics lose their viability during gastro‐intestinal transit due to unfavorable intestinal environment. Amongst diverse techniques micro‐encapsulation could confer protection to the probiotics both in the product as well as in the gastro‐intestinal environment.

The paper shows that micro‐encapsulation of probiotics renders them stable both in the product as well as in the intestinal environment and application of encapsulated probiotics would result in a product with greater prophylactic activities.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of green tea polyphenols addition on physicochemical, microbiological and bioactive characteristics of yogurt.

Two incorporation methods of polyphenols were evaluated: direct addition or incorporated within protein particles of whey protein concentrate and gelatin. During yogurt’s shelf life, structure characteristics (water holding capacity, textural and rheological parameters), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) viability and polyphenols antioxidant activity were analyzed. Also, polyphenol bioaccesibility after in vitro digestion was evaluated.

Polyphenols addition (by the two methods used) did not affect the dynamics of the fermentation process, nor the LAB viability during storage. The color parameter a* for the yogurts with the highest polyphenol concentrations showed positive values (tending to red), but not visible to the naked eye. Because of the ability of polyphenols to interact with milk proteins, yogurts with polyphenols presented higher values in firmness and cohesiveness with respect to the control. Additionally, the incorporation of polyphenols in protein particles increased even more these parameters because of the higher protein content of these formulations. After simulated digestion, a high polyphenol bioaccesibility was observed, and the antioxidant activity was retained, which could be explained by the “protector” effect of the milk matrix.

Yogurt supplementation with green tea polyphenols is feasible for the development of functional food. However, the use of protein particles would not provide an extra benefit because milk proteins already act as protective molecules of polyphenols.

This study shows not only the physico-chemical implications of including polyphenols in yogurt but also their bioaccesibility after an in vitro digestion, revealing a suitable manner for delivery of antioxidants in a dairy product like yogurt.

Stirred yoghurt made using probiotic bacteria which are usually called Rayeb milk in the Arab countries is one of the most important functional fermented milk products. Tamr (dried dates) is commonly consumed in various parts of the world and is believed to represent a vital component of the diet in the Arab world. Tamr and honey characterize with high nutritional and healthful benefits. The purpose of this paper is to manufacture functional fermented dairy food (Rayeb milk) which has the nutritional and health effects of goat’s milk, Tamr, honey and probiotic.

Rayeb milk was made from goat’s milk fortified with Tamr (10 and 15 percent) with or without honey (1, 2, and 3 percent) using ABT culture (S. thermophiles, L. acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium). Samples of Rayeb milk were studied for their chemical composition, starter bacteria populations, and sensory attributes during 14 days of storage period.

Supplementation of goat’s milk with Tamr and honey decreased saturated fatty acids concentrations in Rayeb milk. The levels of carbohydrate, total solids, dietary fiber, ash, total protein (TP), unsaturated fatty acids, omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 fatty acids and antioxidants activity were higher in Rayeb milk contained Tamr and honey than those of control. Also, numbers of probiotic bacteria (L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium) greatly increased in Rayeb milk supplemented with Tamr and honey. The recommended level of 107 cfu.g-1 of bifidobacteria as a probiotic was exceeded for these treatments. Adding Tamr and honey highly improved the sensory attributes of Rayeb milk.

Adding 10 percent Tamr with 3 percent honey or 15 percent Tamr with 1 or 2 percent honey to goat’s milk highly improved the nutritional, healthy and sensory properties of Rayeb milk.

Interest in probiotic food products has constantly increased due to the awareness on importance of gut microbiome; an increasing demand has encouraged the development of other matrices such as cereals, vegetable and fruit juices to deliver probiotics. The purpose of this paper is to standardize and evaluate a ready to serve probiotic oats milk drink fermented with microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum to be further used as a therapeutic module.

Fermentation of oats milk extract with microencapsulated L.plantarum was subjected to various trials in making it favourable for consumption and tested for sensory characteristics, physicochemical parameters, nutrient content, viable colony count and shelf life.

Fermented oats milk drink with 3% inoculum of microencapsulated L.plantarum was able to achieve desirable level of 2.5 × 10⁸ and 2.3 × 10⁸ colony forming units (CFU)/mL for spice and strawberry flavoured drink, respectively. Antioxidant property significantly increased after fermentation showing inhibitory effect against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) assay (p = 0.05).

Analysis of all the parameters were conducted only with three samples; this was the potential limitation identified in this study as large sample size always be a better representative of the results.

Spice and strawberry flavoured nondairy oats milk drink facilitated to be a suitable carrier for microencapsulated L. plantarum with good sensory attributes, low fat, moderate calorie, high fiber content, antioxidant potential and a shelf life of two-week period at 4°C.

The developed ready to serve, spice and strawberry flavoured nondairy oats milk drink with compactly packed functional components inclusive of beneficial probiotic organisms, ß-glucan and antioxidants can be prescribed as a therapeutic food for many clinical conditions and would serve as a good probiotic option for vegans.