Processes Webinar | Functional Juices: An Innovative Alternative to Traditional Dairy Products
the chair
15th Processes Webinar
Functional Juices: An Innovative Alternative to Traditional Dairy Products
Welcome to Functional Juices: An Innovative Alternative to Traditional Dairy Products!
Functional fruit juices containing prebiotic oligosaccharides and probiotic microorganisms represent a significant innovation in the healthy beverage market, offering a modern alternative to traditional fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and fermented milk. Such beverages are particularly relevant for the growing segment of consumers with lactose intolerance, casein allergy, or those following vegan and plant-based diets, as they offer the benefits of consuming functional foods without the restrictions inherent to dairy products. The food matrix of functional juices combines fruit, which provides vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants, with functional components that directly act on digestive and immune health. Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, act in the recolonization and diversification of the intestinal flora. Simultaneously, prebiotics, which are non-digestible substrates that selectively feed beneficial bacteria, optimize this environment. This nutritional symbiosis is crucial to producing Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), which are essential for maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and reducing inflammation. Thus, functional juices are an efficient, convenient, and alternative nutraceutical vehicle that promotes overall health and presents market potential as the next generation of functional foods. This webinar will present the production processes of functional fruit juices and their potential effects on the human gut microbiota.
Date: 5 November 2025
Time: 13:00 pm CET | 7:00 am EST | 9:00 am Fortaleza
Webinar ID: 833 5274 2579
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet the Event Chair
Meet Our Speakers
Food Engineering Department, Federal University of Ceará, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST).;
Mr Batendi Nduna is a PhD student at the Federal University of Ceará. His research focuses on analysing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in fruit juices fermented by lactic acid bacteria.
Food Engineering Department, Federal University of Ceará;
Thatyane Fonteles is a Biotechnologist and member of the Graduate Program in Food Science and Technology at Federal University of Ceara. Her research focuses on non-thermal food processing technologies and the development of functional foods with probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics to enhance the health-promoting properties of foods.
Food Engineering Department, Federal University of Ceará;
Dr. Rhonyele Silva is a food engineer with expertise in the formulation and production of functional beverages, focusing on prebiotic, probiotic, and synbiotic juices.
The webinar was hosted via Zoom and required registration to attend. The full recording can be found below. In order to learn about future webinars, you can sign up to our newsletter by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of the page.
Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition
Edited by Prof. Dr. César Ozuna, Prof. Dr. Sueli Rodrigues and Prof. Dr. Fabiano André Narciso Fernandes.
Deadline for submissions:28 February 2026