The Effects of Freeze-Dried Potato Flour Addition on the Fermentation Characteristics of Yogurt

This study was performed to characterize the mechanism of the acceleration of lactic acid fermentation in milk incubated with potato flour irradiated by -ray and two types of lactobacillus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophillus, and to examine its effect on the quality of yogurt by assessing the acidity of lactic acid, viscosity, free amino acid, and sensory. In lactic acid fermented in the presence of 0.5% (w/w) potato flour, its acidity was higher, its pH was lower, and its viscosity was increased than lactic acid fermented in the absence of potato flour. In the sample fermented with the mixture of S. thermophillus and L. bulgaricus, the acid production rate was highest. In the samples fermented with a single type of bacteria, the acid production rate of S. thermophillus was higher than that the L. bulgaricus. Fermented a single type of bacteria with potato flour, the lysine utilization rate of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophillus was high. L. bulgaricus produced a large quantity of glutamic acid whereas S. thermophillus consumed glutamic acid. In sensory evaluation of yogurt fermented with potato flour, the preference of texture was improved while its color, taste, flavor, and overall preference were decreased. The data suggest that L. bulgaricus stimulates the growth of S. thermophillus by providing free glutamic acid that is required by S. thermophillus and thus the addition of potato flour shortens the fermentation period of yogurt.