EFFECT OF PINEAPPLE PEEL FLOUR IN PROBIOTIC ICE CREAM ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, CELL VIABILITY AND SENSORIAL ASPECTS

Resumo: Agro-industrial waste deriving from fruits processing industries are rich in fibers and have potential to be incorporated into food. This work aims to study the effect of adding pineapple peel flour (PPF) to probiotic ice cream on the physicochemical properties, cell viability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 and sensory aspects. PPF was characterized in terms of pH, water activity, titratable acidity, moisture, fiber and lipids. Probiotic ice creams containing 2.7 % PPF and without flour were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity, overrun, melting rate and probiotic viability during storage at – 20 ºC for 90 days. Physicochemical analyzes of PPF showed its potential for fiber enrichment in food. Addition of dietary fiber increased the overrun ratio and decreased the melting rate as compared with the control. Cell viability values of 8.3 log CFU/mL and 9.3 log CFU/mL were obtained for the control and PPF samples, respectively, after 90 days of storage at -20 °C. Sensory evaluation indicated approval of the ice cream containing PPF with results similar to the control. The results suggested that the addition of PPF resulted in an improved viability of L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469 in probiotic ice cream.