Potentially functional lactose-free ice cream with Lacticaseibacillus casei CSL3, ginger, and honey

To develop and characterize a functional lactose-free ice cream with added ginger and honey, evaluate the survival of Lacticaseibacillus casei CSL3 under frozen storage and the simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT), as well as antioxidant activity and product acceptability.

The survival of Lacticaseibacillus casei CSL3 was evaluated for 180 days, under frozen storage, and GIT at 60 days. At 15 days of storage, proximal composition, antioxidant activity, color, pH, acidity, fusion, density, overrun, and sensory analysis were performed. Ice cream was an effective food matrix for maintaining the viability of CSL3, with concentrations > 7 log CFU g^- 1 during storage and GIT. In addition, the analysis showed overrun and prebiotic characteristics through high values of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds, good acceptability, and purchase intention.

The product has satisfactory market potential (acceptance rate of 95.19% and purchase intention rate > 96%), and it could become another means of inserting probiotics in food.