Studies on some functional dairy products

Abstract

The work consisted of studying the most consumed yogurts by the local population according to our survey and their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Through this work, we wished to assess the food security and quality of these dairy products. We performed physicochemical tests: pH, titratable acidity, and microbiological analyses: isolation of lactobacilli, lactic streptococci, and Gram coloration. We studied two commercial brands of yogurt, Danone Activia and Soummam Acti+, and we made our own homemade yogurt. Our homemade yogurt was fermented with known strains of LAB without any additives or preservatives. In summary, the findings of the study indicated that all yogurt variations’ pH and acidity were within the acceptable limits of the set standards. Nevertheless, the differences were noted in the microbial colony, as Soummam Acti+ had no observable lactobacilli colonies. Additionally, our homemade yogurt had the best bioactive effect against pathogenic bacteria due to the lack of additives and preservatives and the relatively simple method of preparation.