Study finds fruit juices could potentially be good carriers of probiotics

Institute of Food TechnologistsNov 16 2013

Probiotics are often added to products in order provide additional nutritional benefits to the consumer, thus making them "functional foods." A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that fruit juices could potentially be good carriers for two different kinds of probiotics. The study found that certain strains of probiotics are stable in a fruit juice, namely a mix of red-fruits, and doesn't affect the sensory score.

Currently most probiotic foods are dairy-based, but there is a growing interest toward nondairy probiotic products because of lactose intolerance and cholesterol content. Fruit juices are appealing due to their high content in beneficial nutrients like minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, and antioxidants, and with additional research could become a good source of probiotics as well.