An evaluation of stress impacts on survival of probiotic bacteria in yogurt

The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of NaCl, bile salts, and their combinations on the viability of Lactobacillus casei in probiotic yogurt. For this purpose, the antibacterial activity of NaCl and bile salts was investigated via the microdilution technique by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against L. casei. Further, the stress effects of 50% MIC on NaCl and bile salts on the L. casei were examined by comparing the stress treatments with the control in terms of the L. casei population, pH, acidity, and syneresis percentage in probiotic yogurt during storage in the refrigerator for 28 days. According to the results, the L. casei population and pH decreased in all the treatments during the storage time, such that the intensity of the decrease in the control treatment was lesser than in other stress treatments (p<0.05). The acidity and percentage of syneresis during the storage time increased for all the treatments, with the increase being less in control than in the other stress treatments (p<0.05). The control scored the highest in the sensory evaluation (p<0.05). In conclusion, applying stresses below the MIC had a negative effect on the survival of L. casei in the probiotic yogurt until the end of 28 days and the outcome was not as expected.