Monica Molero

By Mónica S. Molero and Wilfido J. Briñez

Probiotics have been taking value over the last years due to its benefits in human health. Researchers have been looking for options in order to increase probiotics consumption, and one of the more nutritional choices is to use whey as a substrate in fermented beverages. Whey is a by-product liquid obtained during cheese processing. It is an economic source of protein, which provides multiple properties in foods. The main objective of this chapter was to carry out a complete review of important researches related to whey-based fermented beverages production. Researches show that probiotic micro-organisms have the ability to grow in whey properly, in such a way that they reach high concentrations, needed to achieve the probiotic effect that consumers are looking for. Certain substances, such as fruit pulps and carboxymethyl cellulose, have been used to improve viscosity, flavor among other important characteristics. Sensorial evaluations have been performed in order to assess consumers’ impression, and they have been pleasantly accepted. Average shelf-life is 21 days. Through this review, it is known that whey is an excellent alternative to increment probiotic consumption, not only because it is an outstanding substrate for probiotic micro-organism’s growth but also due to its excellent sensorial characteristics.

Part of the book: Probiotics