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The impact of gas micro/nano-bubbles on the fermentation pattern and rheology of stirred yoghurt
* 1 , * 2 , 3 , 2 , 4
1  Dairy Technology Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute
2  Department of Dairy Technology, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
3  Department of Dairy Microbiology, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
4  Deaprtment of Dairy Engineering, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
Academic Editor: Antonios Koutelidakis

Abstract:

Micro/nano-bubbles (MNBs) are tiny gas-filled cavities in bulk liquids. Recently, MNBs have drawn a lot of attention due to their industrial applications, such as in wastewater treatment, cleaning, disinfection, and other agriculture- and food-related applications due to their low cost, eco-friendliness, and ease of scale-up. Fermentation is an age-old practice adopted for the preservation of food and dairy products. Stirred yoghurt is one such product prepared by adding yoghurt starter culture and breaking the clumps after incubation. The present study attempted to understand the impact of the incorporation of MNBs on the fermentation pattern of yoghurt starter culture (YSC), i.e., Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and its rheological attributes when thus prepared. Different types of MNBs were prepared using compressed purified air, CO2, O2, and N2 gas in water and milk systems using a bulk nanobubble generator. It was observed that the types of MNBs had a significant impact on the metabolism and microbial growth of the starter culture. Among the four different types of MNBs, the CO2-MNBs had a significantly positive effect on bacterial growth besides increasing the viability of the fermented milk. Our findings suggest that MNBs in general and CO2-MNBs specifically have the potential for applications in altering fermentation patterns. Furthermore, concerning the quality attributes of the MNBs incorporated into the stirred yoghurt, notable changes were observed in terms of its viscosity, mouthfeel, and shelf life. A significant rise in the viscosity of the stirred yoghurt with MNBs incorporated was observed as compared to that of the control sample, which may be attributed to the milk protein–polysaccharide interaction at the interface of the MNBs. It is therefore concluded that MNB technology has the potential to be used as a new processing tool to easily adjust the fermentation pattern and the rheological properties of fermented dairy products to fulfil growing consumer demand for innovative products with adjustable consistency and functionality.

Keywords: Micro-nano-bubbles, fermentation, stirred yoghurt, rheology
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