Using β-galactosidase and Novel Probiotic Strains to Formulate Lactose-Free Acidophilus Milk Fortified with Cocoa Powder

Abstract The study was investigated to develop the lactose-free probiotic acidophilus milk (PAM) enriched with novel probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus LDMB01, Lactococcus lactis LDMB10, and Streptococcus thermophilus LDMB09), as well as fortified with cocoa powder. The physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses were performed to see how the formulations worked. Two probiotic acidophilus milk formulations were made with β-galactosidase lactose hydrolysis, one with cocoa (5% m/v). A constant sugar level of 5% was used. The lactose-free acidophilus milk did not differ in acid content and showed values below 0.1% for lactose. The incorporation of cocoa in the PAM provided higher initial pH values reduced with the storage period and higher syneresis values throughout 28 days of storage. In addition, the probiotic bacteria showed high viability during storage, with counts above 7 log CFU/mL. In terms of sensory evaluation, most judges assigned both products an overall acceptability score of 8 for the characteristics (appearance, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptance). On the other hand, the sample containing cocoa achieved higher mean scores for appearance and texture. As a result, these products have much potential for industrial use, especially for lactose-intolerant people.