Production of acidophilus milk enriched with purees from colored sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Linn.) varieties
Probiotic foods and drinks are becoming more popular nowadays. Probiotic foods are foods that contain health-promoting microorganisms. The beneficial effects of probiotics may be mediated by a direct antagonistic effect against specific groups of organisms, resulting in a decrease in their metabolism or by stimulation of immunity. Acidophilus milk enriched with purees from kinampay and RC-2000 sweetpotato varieties was developed. Acidophilus milk is a probiotic drink, which is a product of milk fermentation by the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus. The fermented milk has been reported to have therapeutic value for suppressing toxin-producing organisms in the intestine of human. The sugar level and product acceptability of the developed product was evaluated through sensory evaluation, and a proximate composition of the product was determined by proximate analysis. It was found out that at 1% and 10% levels of inocula of the starter culture, the change in Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) of acidophilus milk was the same, hence, 1% inoculum was found practical in the production of acidophilus milk. Findings from previous experiments show that the maximum number of viable cells can be maintained