Małgorzata Ziarno

By Patrycja Cichońska and Małgorzata Ziarno

The use of millet for the production of plant-based beverages has beneficial effects because it is healthy and gluten-free. In its raw form, millet is rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols. Millet beverages are characterized by relatively low popularity among the consumers of plant beverages. This is mainly due to the drawbacks, namely the presence of plant flavors and “millet” smell. Constant market growth requires new products to be developed in order to meet the consumers’ expectations. The acceptance of millet beverages significantly increases when these are offered in various flavors. Furthermore, the addition of apple or banana puree to millet recipes can increase their desirability. Stabilization of millet beverages is important as they have the tendency to delaminate. This can be overcome by the use of natural stabilizers such as pectin and agar-agar which seems to be an effective option for these products.

Part of the book: Milk Substitutes

By Ewa Kowalska and Małgorzata Ziarno

In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of four different industrial starter cultures containing lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria on the selected characteristics of beverages prepared from buckwheat and stored at 4°C for 28 days. We estimated the pH of the beverages during fermentation and storage under refrigerated conditions. We also determined the number of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria and performed a chromatographic analysis of the carbohydrates. According to the results, the tested starter cultures effectively fermented the buckwheat beverage. The viable cell count of the starter microflora was sufficient to demonstrate the health-promoting properties of buckwheat. The pH of beverages was stable during the refrigerated storage. However, the carbohydrate content of the stored beverages changed, which indicates a constant biochemical activity of the microflora.

Part of the book: Milk Substitutes