Research center finds dairy-free probiotic

DUBLIN, Ireland Researchers at the Ashtown Food Research Centre in Dublin, Ireland, may have found a dairy-free alternative to probiotic-rich yogurt in apples, according to new research published earlier this month in Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.

The aim of the study was to apply a probiotic microorganism (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) to fresh-cut apple wedges and measure entrapment and stability of the microorganism.

Researchers also monitored if application of the probiotic significantly influenced eating quality.

The result — a potential new candidate for probiotic supplementation that “will provide an alternative probiotic food choice for consumers and could be particularly appealing to children,” according to Christian Rossle, lead researcher. “Minimally processed freshly prepared fruits are a popular item and are perceived as healthy by consumers. They are therefore an ideal vehicle for incorporation of other functional components such as probiotics.” Rossle envisions the probiotic-enriched apples would retail from conventional chill counters of supermarket stores.