Effect of Refrigerated Storage on Sensory Properties and Viability of Probiotic in Grape Drink

The popularity of non-dairy probiotic products continues to persist as the consumers prefer functional foods satisfying their health needs. Among these promising foods, probiotic grape drink would have beneficial effects on modifying gastrointestinal flora and human health. In this study, the pasteurized grape drink was inoculated by three species of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus) separately, and the samples were subjected to non-fermented conditions. The samples were kept in the refrigerator at 4°C for 4 weeks to determine microbial viability and sensory evaluation during cold storage. Based on the results obtained, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii displayed greater surviving than Lactobacillus plantarum during cold storage. Sensory evaluation outcome indicated that grape juice inoculated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus showed higher overall acceptability over 4 weeks of storage. The findings revealed that sustainability and sensory properties of probiotic products are important from the consumers’ point of view; therefore, production of probiotic grape juice by Lactobacillus rhamnosus, due to its higher viability and desirable organoleptic properties, is suggested.