Nutrients, Vol. 17, Pages 2249: Fermented Milk Supplemented with Sodium Butyrate and Inulin: Physicochemical Characterization and Probiotic Viability Under In Vitro Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion
Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu17132249
Authors:
Katarzyna Szajnar
Małgorzata Pawlos
Magdalena Kowalczyk
Julita Drobniak
Agata Znamirowska-Piotrowska
Background/Objectives: Probiotics are increasingly recognized for their role in managing gastrointestinal disorders through modulation of gut microbiota. Restoring microbial balance remains a therapeutic challenge. Recent strategies combine probiotics, inulin, and sodium butyrate as synergistic agents for gut health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of milk supplementation with inulin and sodium butyrate on physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, and the survival of selected probiotic strains during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Methods: Fermented milk samples were analyzed for color, pH, titratable acidity, and syneresis. A trained sensory panel evaluated aroma, texture, and acceptability. Samples underwent a standardized in vitro digestion simulating oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. Viable probiotic cells were counted before digestion and at each stage, and survival rates were calculated. Results: Physicochemical and sensory attributes varied depending on probiotic strain and supplementation. Inulin and the inulin–sodium butyrate combination influenced syneresis and acidity. Lacticaseibacillus casei 431 and Lactobacillus johnsonii LJ samples showed the highest viable counts before digestion. Two-way ANOVA confirmed that probiotic strain, supplementation type, and their interactions significantly affected bacterial survival during digestion (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of inulin and sodium butyrate did not impair probiotic viability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The effects on product characteristics were strain-dependent (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, L. casei 431, L. paracasei L26, L. acidophilus LA-5, L. johnsonii LJ). These findings support the use of inulin–butyrate fortification in dairy matrices to enhance the functional potential of probiotic foods targeting gut health.
Background/Objectives: Probiotics are increasingly recognized for their role in managing gastrointestinal disorders through modulation of gut microbiota. Restoring microbial balance remains a therapeutic challenge. Recent strategies combine probiotics, inulin, and sodium butyrate as synergistic agents for gut health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of milk supplementation with inulin and sodium butyrate on physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, and the survival of selected probiotic strains during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Methods: Fermented milk samples were analyzed for color, pH, titratable acidity, and syneresis. A trained sensory panel evaluated aroma, texture, and acceptability. Samples underwent a standardized in vitro digestion simulating oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. Viable probiotic cells were counted before digestion and at each stage, and survival rates were calculated. Results: Physicochemical and sensory attributes varied depending on probiotic strain and supplementation. Inulin and the inulin–sodium butyrate combination influenced syneresis and acidity. Lacticaseibacillus casei 431 and Lactobacillus johnsonii LJ samples showed the highest viable counts before digestion. Two-way ANOVA confirmed that probiotic strain, supplementation type, and their interactions significantly affected bacterial survival during digestion (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of inulin and sodium butyrate did not impair probiotic viability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The effects on product characteristics were strain-dependent (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, L. casei 431, L. paracasei L26, L. acidophilus LA-5, L. johnsonii LJ). These findings support the use of inulin–butyrate fortification in dairy matrices to enhance the functional potential of probiotic foods targeting gut health. Read More