A NOVEL FUNCTIONAL PROBIOTIC PRODUCT CONTAINING PHENOLICS AND ANTHOCYANINS

The possibility of using fruit juiceas growth medium fora bacterial strain was evaluated in order to producea functionalprobiotic product. Lactobacillusacidophilus was capable of growing ina mixture of grapeand berry juice,as demonstrated by the microbial count (5.41 x 108 colony-forming units/g) obtainedafter 24 h of fermentation. The microbial pellet was recovered by centrifugation, washedand freeze-dried.After freeze drying, theproduct wasanalyzed in terms of microbialamountand biochemical quality,and exhibiteda high number of microorganisms (1.2 x 106 viable colony forming units/g),an extraordinary level of polyphenolsand anthocyanins (totalanthocyanins: 15.86 mg/g; malvidin 3-glycoside: 10.8 mg/g; cyanidin-3-glycoside: 4 mg/g; total polyphenols: 312 mmol GAE/ g of driedproduct; ferulicacid: 1 mg/g; gallicacid: 1.21 mg/;rutin: 6.45 mg/g; quercetin: 1.12 mg/g; epicatechin: 4.07 mg/g)as wellas strongantioxidantactivity (DPPH inhibition 86.6%). This formulation can be used for nutritionaland health supplementation, thus increasing its valueadded.