AMELIORATION IN THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF CURD PREPARED USING PROBIOTIC YEAST SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAEID18

Abstract

Dietary live yeast has been used as a fermenting agent in baking, distilling and brewing industries since ancient times. Saccharomyces cerevisiaeId18 isolated from traditional Indian fermented food-idli batter, exhibited probiotic attributes such as acid and bile salt tolerance, ability to grow at 37°C, resistance to commonly used antibiotics, auto-aggregationability and cell surface hydrophobicity. It showed antimicrobial action against enteric pathogens. It produced phytase, β- galactosidase, vitamin B12 and exopolysaccharides. It had the ability to assimilate cholesterol. This probiotic yeast was used as a starter to prepare curd; and it was also used to supplement traditional dairy starter to prepare the curd. On comparing the nutritional and sensory properties of probiotic curd with that of conventional curd, it was observed that the protein, vitamin B12 and glutamic acid levels doubled when probiotic yeast S. cerevisiaeId18 was used. The cholesterol levels in the probiotic curd were significantly reduced and glucose levels showed slight reduction. There was no significant decline in pH of the probiotic curd even after a week, indicating thereby less souring and prolonged shelf life. The viable counts of the probiotic yeast reduced slightly whereas the Lactobacillus counts declined considerably in the other curds, indicating thereby that the beneficial effects of probiotic curd were retained for a prolonged time period at 4°C. This indicates that on using the probiotic yeasts either alone or in combination with traditional dairy starter, the nutritional properties and the shelf life of the fermented dairy product were significantly improved.