The search for functional foods grows constantly, and in this demand, the supply of industries that seek to produce and sell supplements also grows, as is the case of probiotics freely sold in pharmacies and supermarkets. Given a large number of foods with probiotic appeal and supplements sold without the need for a nutritional or medical prescription, this study came up to evaluate the viability of commercial probiotic cells, through in vitro gastrointestinal simulation and analyzing the information present in their labeling. Eleven commercial probiotic samples were analyzed, and viable cell counts were performed before and after in vitro simulation. These products usually use appealing labeling and induce the consumer to purchase these probiotics, which often do not offer the benefits described on the packaging. The results showed that only two samples had the initial concentration indicated on their labeling and four samples offered a concentration of 3 log CFU g−1 in the ileum portion. All samples had a reduction in concentration during the gastrointestinal simulation, which varied from 1 to 4 log CFU g−1, but most do not fulfill the offer of a probiotic supplement, and there should be more inspection and control over the commercialization of this product niche.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereals globally, serving as an energy source for approximately 50% of the world’s population. In this review, we present and discuss the main aspects related to its characteristics, nutritional properties, and the types of processing carried out by the food industry. The nutritional composition of the grains varies according to the type of industrial process. After the husk is removed, both brown and polished rice can be obtained, and both types can also be parboiled. Products such as rice flour and starch have expanded the market for this cereal, as they are ingredients used in the production of various rice-based foods, owing to their hypoallergenic nature, gluten-free attributes, and mild flavor.

This study evaluated the effects of the addition of encapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus and green banana biomass on the characteristics of requeijão cremoso processed cheese during the storage period of 45 days under refrigeration. The elaborated requeijões cremosos processed cheeses included addition of encapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus as probiotic source, and green banana biomass as partial fat substitute, in a total of five treatments. Analyses were performed to evaluate probiotic viability, microbiological conditions, centesimal composition (moisture, fat, fat in dry extract, protein, ashes, carbohydrates), water activity, resistant starch, colour, texture, lipid profile and sensory acceptability. The addition of green banana biomass and fat reduction resulted in changes in the centesimal composition of the cheeses, with their moisture indexes increased and protein decreased, the F1 formulation was the only one that can be considered as low fat content and was also the one that presented higher moisture. The yellowish white coloration of the formulations was altered as a function of the composition as well as the texture parameters, F1 and F3 treatments presented the greatest changes. Probiotic viability did not differ between formulations, it only changed over time.

Functional foods are those that bring benefits to human health beyond nutrition such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, allergies and intestinal problems. Among the functional foods highly consumed worldwide, yogurt is highlighted, especially in the probiotic and symbiotic versions. The aim of this study was to use the Jerusalem artichoke tuber flour ( Helianthus tuberosus L.) as a new prebiotic source for the development of functional yogurt. The identification and quantification of the fructans of the Jerusalem artichoke flour was performed and later yoghurt formulations were elaborated. These yogurts were submitted to analyses of centesimal composition, shelf life and sensorial evaluation. For the biological evaluation, a symbiotic yogurt formulation was chosen (the best accepted in sensorial evaluation) and included in the feed of New Zealand white rabbits, in the growth and final phase. The in vivo experiment had three distinct groups (control group, probiotic group and symbiotic group). At the end of 50 days of experiment, the animals were euthanized and submitted to the serological and cecal microbiota evaluation. Through this study, the prebiotic/bifidogenic capacity of Jerusalem artichoke flour was evidenced.