Probiotication of tomato juice by lactic acid bacteria

This study was undertaken to determine the suitability of tomato juice as a raw material for production of probiotic juice by four lactic acid bacteria (Latobacillus acidophilus LA39, Lactobacillus plantarum C3, Lactobacillus casei A4, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii D7). Tomato juice was inoculated with a 24-h-old culture and incubated at 30 degrees C. Changes in pH, acidity, sugar content, and viable cell counts during fermentation under controlled conditions were measured. The lactic acid cultures reduced the pH to 4.1 or below and increased the acidity to 0.65% or higher, and the viable cell counts (CFU) reached nearly 1.0 to 9.0 x 10(9)/ml after 72 h fermentation. The viable cell counts of the four lactic acid bacteria in the fermented tomato juice ranged from 10(6) to 10(8) CFU/ml after 4 weeks of cold storage at 4 degrees C. Probiotic tomato juice could serve as a health beverage for vegetarians or consumers who are allergic to dairy products.