Evaluation of the stability of Akkermansia muciniphila in a plant-based ice cream with germinated quinoa flour during storage

Objective: The growing demand for plant-based diets and interest in ancestral crops have driven the development of innovative functional foods, such as plant-based ice creams. Akkermansia muciniphila, a next-generation probiotic, is notable for its therapeutic potential and its ability to modulate metabolic and inflammatory disorders, including obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, its incorporation into frozen food matrices has been scarcely explored. This study evaluated a plant-based ice cream formulated with germinated quinoa flour (Rosada de Huancayo variety, Peru) as a potential vehicle for delivering A. muciniphila. Methods: The formulation also included coconut and sunflower oils, along with sugars such as dextrose, glucose, and sucrose. A. muciniphila was added in free form during the mixing stage. As a control, free cells frozen in saline solution were used. Both sample types were stored at −20 °C for 60 days. Microbiological quality (enterobacteria, mesophilic bacteria, yeasts, and molds), overrun (day 0), hardness (every 15 days), and the viability of A. muciniphila (days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 40, and 60) were evaluated. Results: The ice cream exhibited an overrun of 11.9%, with hardness ranging from 35.9 N to 237.3 N, and maintained good microbiological quality throughout the storage period. The viability of A. muciniphila remained above 10⁸ CFU/g in both treatments, with no significant differences from the initial counts (p > 0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that quinoa-based ice cream is a viable matrix for maintaining A. muciniphila stability during frozen storage, reinforcing its potential in functional plant- based foods and enabling new strategies for incorporating next- generation probiotics.