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PRODUCTION OF NON-DAIRY LACTIC BEVERAGES FROM PLANT EXTRACTS

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Diseases like lactose intolerance and milk protein allergies and the search for diets free of foods with animal origins are two factors that have been boosting the development of non-dairy products. These products are similar to dairy products in terms of flavor, smell and consistency; contain no lactose, milk proteins and cholesterol, which can benefit the health of consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of lactic fermented beverages with different plant extracts (“vegetable milks”) [almond (AL), coconut (C), cashew nut (CN), oat (O), rice (R) and soybean (S)] and compare them to lactic fermented beverages with whole milk (WM) and lactose-free whole milk (LFM). The fermentations were conducted in Erlenmeyers flasks of 300 mL, in which the plant extracts and milks were inoculated with Bio Rich® lactic culture (containing Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus LA-5® e Bifidobacterium BB-12®). The fermentations were done in triplicate, without agitation, at 37 °C for 24 hours. Samples were collected every 6 hours to measure pH, titratable acidity (A) and soluble solids concentration (SS). There was pH reduction from 6.55-7.55 to 3.67-4.99, mainly in the first hours of fermentation. The SS reduction was also observed in the beginning of fermentation. The acidity has continuously increased during the fermentation, and the behavior of the substrates allowed them to be classified in 4 groups: WM, LFM and S (greater acidification, reaching around 1,0% w/v after 24 h), AL and CN (slow and continuous production of acids until 0,3 – 0,4% w/v), O and R (low acidification, until 0.15 – 0.25% w/v) and C (no acidification). The extracts of AL, CN and S were the ones with fermentation similar to the milks and with greatest potential for the production of non-dairy lactic beverages in the conducted study.