FORMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF MALTED BARLEY BASED SYMBIOTIC BEVERAGE BY RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

The study aims to formulate fermented beverages by the addition of malted barley in whey water (100 ml) with inoculation of the strain of lactobacillus planturum and lactobacillus acidophillus at 37°C for 7h. Three different levels of malted barley flour (2-5%), sugar (1-3 g) and amount of inoculums (0.5%-2%) were optimized on the basis of their sensory attributes (color, flavor, consistency, and overall acceptability) and lactobacillus count by using response surface methodology. Malted barley flour (3.5%), sugar (2%) and inoculum (1.25%) was found optimum for preparation of fermented beverages. The physico-chemical and microbiological evaluations of the most accepted formulations were carried out at weekly intervals during the storage period of 21 days under refrigeration storage (7±1°C). Acidity and the viability of probiotic bacteria were 4.1 and 8.12 log CFU/ml, respectively at the end of the storage period, indicating the good keeping quality over three weeks.