Food fortification is one of the most important processes for improvement of the nutrients quality and quantity in food. It can be a very cost effective public health intervention. Due to the high consumption rate of dairy products such as yogurt, fortification of these products will effectively reduce or prevent diseases associated with nutritional deficiencies. The aim of this investigation is to study the technical aspects involved in production of different types of fortified yogurts and their role in disease prevention and correction of deficiencies. In this paper, firstly, fortification is defined and the main reasons behind carrying out this process are presented and then yogurt production process and a variety of minerals, vitamins, and functional ingredients which are used in the process are briefly discussed
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding various medicinal plants to kombucha medium and to analyze the changes that occur to its physicochemical, antimicrobial, and sensorial properties. In the first part, measurements were made to determine IC50 value, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, minimum inhibitory concentration, pH, organic acids, and sensorial properties of kombucha that contained cinnamon, cardamom, or Shirazi thyme. Results showed that kombucha samples containing cinnamon exhibited higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, more organic acids, and better sensorial scores. In the second part, properties of kombucha containing 25%–100% concentrations of cinnamon were evaluated. The result showed that by increasing the cinnamon concentration, certain increases were observed in the amounts of organic acids and in the magnitudes of antioxidants and antimicrobial activities. In conclusion, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of kombucha can be increased by adding medicinal plants, especially at higher concentrations.