This article aims to explore the challenges and opportunities inherent in producing probiotic functional yogurt through information on the benefits of consuming this food, emphasizing its nutritional characteristics and importance for health. It explains the advantages of regular consumption, including improved digestion, gastrointestinal health, immunity, and increased absorption of minerals. The discussion focuses on the perspectives within the production of functional probiotic yogurt, with emphasis on microbial dynamics, inhibition of undesirable microorganisms, and strategies to improve the quality of this product. It highlights the challenges in maintaining the viability of probiotics during production and storage, addressing factors such as pH, exposure to oxygen, temperature regulation, and interactions between strains and ingredients. Additionally, it highlights the integration of natural compounds in probiotic functional yogurt and their sensory impacts associated with health benefits. The article is a comprehensive overview that emphasizes the critical factors that influence the fermentation process of functional probiotic yogurt and the fundamental role of probiotic viability for consumer health.

Purpose: The phycocyanin is a pigment present in the microalgaSpirulinathat has been studied due to its applicability as food coloring; however, it can be used due to the ability to act as an emulsifier or stabilizer in function of its protein characteristic. The purpose of this paper is to use aqueous extracts ofSpirulinacontaining phycocyanin (EP) as a substitute of additives in the production of ice creams.Design/methodology/approach: The study was divided in two sections: first, the influence of addition of EP in ice cream bases (that represent the ice cream preparation before air incorporation step) and second, the influence of addition of EP in five ice cream formulations, in which the differences were the addition of EP in substitution of stabilizer, Chantilly or emulsifier, one at a time or in substitution of all additives together, by the EP.Findings: The different ice creams developed presented centesimal composition according to Brazilian legislation in relation to the chemical parameters. The EP presented emulsifying and stabilizing activity in the ice creams formulations acting in substitution of emulsifier and stabilizer presented in the standard formulation, not influencing the overall acceptability of consumers.Originality/value: The authors demonstrate that the aqueous extract ofSpirulinacontaining phycocyanin can be used as a natural additive in ice cream in substitution of emulsifiers and stabilizers normally used in this product, contributing to produce more healthy foods, once phycocyanin is an protein of high nutritional value.

Rice bran is a by-product of the rice milling process, found worldwide in abundance and highlighted due its protein content. This study optimized the conditions for ultrasonic-assisted extraction of protein from defatted rice bran (DRB) and characterized the rice bran protein concentrate (RBPC). A sequential strategy of experimental design was employed; the effect of pH, temperature, ultrasound exposure time, and amplitude were evaluated regarding the percentage of protein extraction by a Full factorial design (FFD) with a fixed frequencies (FFD-A: 37 kHz; FFD-B: 80 kHz). Subsequently, the percentage of protein extracted was optimized employing a Central composite rotatable design (variables: pH and ultrasound exposure time) and RBPC obtained was characterized regarding chemical and functional properties. The pH and ultrasound exposure time had positive effect (P ≤ 0.05) on percentage of protein extraction; moreover, 37 kHz frequency was more effective in protein extraction. The optimized condition (frequency: 37 kHz; temperature: 30 °C; pH: 10; ultrasound exposure time: 30 min; and amplitude: 100%) allowed 15.07% of protein recovery and the RBPC presented 84.76 g 100 g-1 of protein. Magnesium and copper were the main mineral in RBPC (34.4 and 25.5 µg g-1, respectively), while leucine was the limiting amino acid (0.42) and threonine presented the highest chemical score (1.0). The RBPC solubility was minimal at pH 4 and higher at pHs 6-10; the water and oil absorption capacity were higher than bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the emulsifying capacity was comparable to BSA, with a suitable stability. It was possible to obtain a higher purity RBPC than described in the literature, due to the optimization in the extraction process steps, with functional properties suitable for application in food products, especially emulsified ones.

Release optimization of fermentable sugars from defatted rice bran for bioethanol production