Abstract

COMPARISON OF THE PROBIOTIC EFFECT OF LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS, STREPTOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS AND SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE ON STAPLE SOUTH INDIAN FERMENTED FOODS

Abstract

India is a well diversified country with various food cultures. South Indian food is gaining popularity, throughout the world, which holds rice, pulses (dhal) and milk as its staple food. Rice and Dhal in the form of batter is used after fermentation and used in making various delicacies in South India. Milk is used predominantly in the form of curd and buttermilk. The probiotic effect of these items is the major factor favoring its world wide acceptance. In an attempt to evaluate and standardize the fermentation of these items, the present study compared the production of pre-biotic lactic acid production as a marker of probiotic effect. It has been found that approximately 50 hr of fermentation at standard condition favors maximum probiotic effect evident by maximum production of lactic acid. Among the three probiotic agents evaluated, L.acidophilus has maximum capability followed by S. cerevisiae and S. thermophilus.

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