Application of a Cholesterol-Lowering Strain of Bifidobacterium animalis in Fat-Free Yoghurt

Bifidobacterium animalis strain B,a strain that is capable of lowering cholesterol levels in the body,was screened out and used in combination with the conventional fermentation starter(composed of L.bulgaricus and S.thermophilus) for the mixed-strain fermentation of fat-free yoghurt at 43 ℃.The end point of the fermentation was reached after 5.5-6 hours.The total numbers of viable Bifidobacterium animalis and lactic acid bacteria reached an average of 4.8 × 106 CFU/g and 7.4 × 107 CFU/g respectively during 28 days of storage at 4 ℃.The yoghurt obtained showed a protein content of 2.8 g/100 g,a fat content of 0.2 g/100 g,and an acidity value of 80 °T.All of these three indexes met the requirements of the National Food Safety Standard GB 19302-2010: Fermented Milk.Meanwhile,according to the Ministry of Health,s Regulation for Food Nutrition Labeling,the yoghurt product could be labeled as fat-free fermented milk.The results of sensory evaluations revealed that it had a very gentle flavor and a strong taste of fresh cream with a smooth and exquisite texture and a good consumer acceptance.Therefore,the yoghurt developed in this study has promising commercial prospects.