Lactobacillus plantarum survival during the osmotic dehydration and storage of probiotic cut apple

The feasibility to incorporate Lactobacillus plantarum in apple cubes during the osmotic dehydration (OD) was investigated. The effects of 40 and 60 °Brix osmotic solutions of sucrose or sorbitol on the viability of L. plantarum during the OD at 37 °C and 1013 or 150 mbar was evaluated. The storage at 4 °C and a quick simulation (2 h) of the digestion of probiotic apple cubes through the gastro-intestinal tract were also performed and the viability of the probiotic evaluated. Lactobacillus plantarum got incorporated in the osmotically apple cubes (107–108 cfu/g) with preference for 40 °Brix solutions and it maintained the viability of 107 cfu/g during a 6 day-storage at 4 °C. L. plantarum also survived (107 cfu/g) during the simulation of the digestion. Colour changes of the probiotic apple cubes occurred after OD and storage. Therefore, osmotically dehydrated apple cubes incorporated with L. plantarum could be a new probiotic food.