MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND VIABILITY OF Bacillus clausii IN COCONUT ICE CREAM DURING STORAGE AND RESISTANCE OF THE PROBIOTIC TO THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT IN VITRO

Per capita ice cream consumption in Brazil averages 4.99 liters per year, placing the country 11th in the world. Ice cream is a frozen product obtained from an emulsion of fat and protein, or a mixture of water and sugars, and other ingredients may be added that do not alter the product's characteristics. Fat is an essential component of ice cream, influencing its structure, sensory properties, and storage stability. With the increase in both demand and supply of more natural and fresh products, coupled with the growing search for functional foods, probiotics, live microorganisms that promote health benefits, are gaining prominence, with ice cream serving as viable carriers. This study aimed to analyze the microbiological characteristics and viability of Bacillus clausii probiotic spores added to coconut ice cream, as well as their resistance to simulated in vitro gastrointestinal (GIT) conditions during shelf life at -18.0 °C. Two formulations, control (without probiotic) and probiotic (with the addition of 5 mL of a commercial B. clausii suspension containing approximately 10⁹ spores/g), were evaluated for probiotic viability at 0 and 60 days. In vitro simulated GIT resistance was performed at 0 and 90 days. Microbiological analyses indicated compliance with current legal standards for Enterobacteriaceae, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Salmonella spp. The viability of B. clausii in ice cream was 6.14 log CFU/g at time 0 and 4.97 log CFU/g at 60 days; however, this reduction was not significant (p>0.05). Regarding in vitro simulated digestion, there was a non-significant increase (p>0.05) in the probiotic count at the end of the gastric phase. In contrast, in enteric phase 1 (which simulates the small intestine), the increase in probiotic viability was significant (p<0.05), rising from 5.12 log CFU/g to 6.43 log CFU/g. At the end of enteric phase 2 (which simulates the large intestine), there was also an increase in probiotic count, rising from 4.01 log CFU/g to 6.37 log CFU/g, although this increase was not significant (p>0.05). The increase in counts in enteric phases 1 and 2 suggests that probiotic spores germinate in the GIT and reestablish their activity. Considering the consumption of 50 g of the product, the serving provides 8.5 log CFU, meeting the minimum requirement for probiotic foods in Brazil. Therefore, ice cream is a viable matrix for the incorporation of probiotic spores, ensuring their viability throughout storage and digestion in the GIT.