Physical-Chemistry and Microbiological Analysis of Probiotic Dairy Beverage Fermented with Kefir

The demand for healthier eating habits, combined with the use of whey by the dairy industry has favoured the production of fermented dairy beverages based on whey. The dairy beverages are a kind of fermented milk which can be used milk or reconstituted milk and/or dairy products, including cheese whey. This research studied the physical-chemical and microbiological characteristics of dairy beverage formulated with 50% of fresh cheese whey, using a kind of probiotic culture of kefir holding mixed strains of microorganisms. Development of fermented dairy beverage containing a high concentration and a wide variety of probiotic microorganisms, the raw material of high nutritional value and high yield fermentation, biotechnology represents an advance in the field of industrial fermentation. The presumptive test for coliforms at 45°C and Salmonella spp proved negative for the presence of the same. The lower amount of coliforms at 45°C expressed as < 3.0 NMP/g represents no growth, considering the limit of the method. The fermented dairy beverage met the standards required by ANVISA (Brazilian Health Organization) for presence of microbial contamination, since no contamination was detected in the samples analyzed. Lactic acid bacteria count achieved was 2.3 x 10 7 CFU/g after 22 days of storage and did not meet out legal parameters established by the Brazilian Legislation for fermented dairy beverages.