Calorie-reduced yogurts that were fortified with
1.32% oat fiber were prepared from lactosehydrolyzed
milk, alone and supplemented with 2 and
4% sucrose or with 1.6, 3.6, and 5.5% fructose.
Treated samples were compared with unsweetened
yogurt and with yogurts sweetened with 2, 4, and 6%
sucrose. Addition of 5.5% fructose increased fermentation
time by 60%, slowing down the production of
lactic, pyruvic, acetic, and propionic acids and the
consumption of hippuric and orotic acids. Lactose
hydrolysis had an inhibitory effect on starter activity
at the beginning of fermentation and a stimulatory
effect at the end of fermentation. Fiber addition led to
increases in concentrations of acetic and propionic
acid. Lactobacilli counts were lower in samples
treated with fructose. The use of hydrolyzed milk had
a stimulatory effect on total bacteria and lactobacilli
counts throughout the cold storage period. After 28 d
of storage, lactobacilli counts were consistently higher
in fiber-fortified yogurts, but total bacteria counts
were lower. Apparent viscosity increased with the
addition of sweetener and fiber. Lactose-hydrolyzed
and fructose yogurts had the highest viscosity values.
Samples sweetened with sucrose received the highest
scores for flavor. Fiber addition decreased overall
flavor quality. The lactose-hydrolyzed yogurts
received the highest flavor scores, independent of
fiber fortification. Fiber addition improved the body
and texture of unsweetened yogurts but lowered overall
scores for body and texture in yogurts sweetened
with sucrose.
Funding for this project was provided by Dairy
Management Inc. and a scholarship from the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to support
E. Fernández-García.
Peer reviewed