Avaliação do crescimento de microrganismos em leites fermentados produzidos com adição de Spirulina Platensis

Abstract

Spirulina platensis is a microalgae that has been used in the production of some foods, such as fermented milk, with the aim of promoting increased probiotic activity. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the microbiological growth in fermented milk produced with the addition of Spirulina and to understand how this addition can influence the nutraceutical capacity of these foods. For this purpose, the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis and Saccharomyces boulardii was evaluated, added to samples of fermented milk produced with varying concentrations of S. platensis and pH measurement on days 0, 1, 7 and 14 of storage. The addition of S. platensis at a concentration of 1% and 2% in the fermented milk increased the growth of microorganisms compared to the control when compared to the counts performed 14 days after fermentation. Samples containing S. platensis, from the first day of fermentation, showed a lower pH compared to control samples, demonstrating that the microalgae increased the acidity of fermented milk. S. platensis showed the potential to increase microbiological growth and improve the physicochemical characteristics of fermented milk, however, the results found suggest the need for further studies to determine its impact on human health.