Effect of probiotification with Lactobacillus plantarum MCC 2974 on quality of Sohiong juice

Dairy-based probiotic drinks are widely available for consumers. However, these drinks are often attributed to lactose and casein intolerance, and associated cholesterol risks. This calls for the development of non-dairy based probiotic drinks. Fruit based products can be a potential alternative option. In the present work, Sohiong (Prunus nepalensis) juice has been used for the development of a possible probiotic product. The fruit is widely available in North-eastern part of India. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and anthocyanin. However, due to lack of proper value addition techniques, the fruit remains unutilized. Sohiong juice was extracted using ultrasound assisted enzymatic extraction and then fermented with different initial loads of 4, 6 and 8 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml of Lactobacillus plantarum MCC 2974 at 37 °C for 72 h. During fermentation, the number of viable probiotic cells increased up to 10 log CFU/ml. The concentration of fructose and glucose decreased significantly, whereas total phenolic content, anthocyanin, and DPPH radical scavenging capacity increased. The probiotic microbe population was higher than 6 log CFU/ml even after four weeks of storage at 4 ± 1 °C. The results affirm the suitability and feasibility of developing a non-dairy based probiotic drink from Sohiong juice.