Development, characterisation and sensory qualities of probiotic beverage from provitamin A cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) starch hydrolysate with free and encapsulated Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG

The suitability of hydrolysate (ready-to-drink beverage) from provitamin A cassava (PAC) starch as a carrier for probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ( LGG) was evaluated. PAC starch was hydrolysed by α-amylase and glucoamylase. The PAC starch hydrolysate, fermented with free or alginate-encapsulated LGG (at 37 °C, 48 hours), was evaluated for lactic acid production (using high-performance liquid chromatography), descriptive sensory attributes on a 9-point hedonic scale and total viable counts of LGG cells in PAC hydrolysate during fermentation and storage (4 °C, 60 days). Analysis of variance was conducted and statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Lactic acid was significantly ( p < 0.05) produced in PAC hydrolysate with LGG during fermentation (1980–5480 mg/L), and storage (up to 13676.90 mg/L). LGG maintained significant viability in PAC hydrolysate after fermentation (9 log CFU/mL) and 60 days of storage (5 log CFU/mL). LGG-fermented PAC hydrolysate showed significant overall acceptability of 49.56–56.33% in sensory attributes. PAC hydrolysate with LGG showed significant acceptability and offered adequate support for the metabolism of LGG, evidenced by a significant production of lactic acid during fermentation and refrigerated (4 °C) storage, with adequate viability. Therefore, PAC is a suitable non-dairy carrier for probiotic LGG.