Investigating the physicochemical characteristics of synbiotic beverage enriched with extracts of millet, rye and alfalfa sprouts

Due to the increasing awareness of human societies about the health-enhancing effects of synbiotic products, the production and consumption of these products has been growing. However, the majority of products, including beverages, in the global market are dairy-based, and less attention has been paid to the production and expansion of grain-based synbiotic foods. As a result, an attempt has been made in this study to present a synbiotic fermented beverage based on grains with practical and health-giving properties as well as consumer-friendly characteristics. To produce this beverage, alfalfa, millet, and rye sprout extracts were inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei bacteria, and inulin and oligofructose (0, 1.5, and 3%) were used as prebiotics. The prepared formulations were stored at 4±1°C and on days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28, their physicochemical properties (turbidity, sediment, etanol and phenolic compounds) were evaluated and the data were analyzed with SPSS software. The results show that the percentage of polyphenol decreased significantly with the presence of inulin, oligofructose, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantarum, but increased with storage time and the activity of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum (p≥0.05). The addition of inulin and oligofructose in the drink, the passage of time, as well as the activity of Lactobacillus casei and Plantarum increased the percentage of turbidity (p≥0.05). It can be said that with the addition of inulin and oligofructose in beverages, the sedimentation percentage of beverages decreased (p≥0.05). Also, increasing the percentage of inulin and, in particular, oligofructose, storage time, as well as the activity of Lactobacillus casei and plantarum increase the percentage of ethanol (p≥0.05).