Impact of enzymatic hydrolyzed lactose on fermentation and growth of probiotic bacteria in whey

Taking in consideration the long time for whey fermentation using probiotic bacteria, the aim of this research was to determine if prior enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose influences microbial activities of Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 or Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 in reconstituted sweet whey. During fermentation (at 37 °C), pH-value and viable cell counts were monitored. The fermented samples were sensory profiled. Lactose hydrolysis shortened the fermentation time of Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 by 2 h, and viable cell count at the end of fermentation time was greater in hydrolyzed whey sample (~9.45 log10 CFU/mL) when compared with the control sample (~8.91 log10 CFU/mL). In contrast, lactose hydrolysis in whey did not enhance the activity of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. Lactose hydrolysis had slightly influence on sensory score of fermented samples, probably due to sweetness that masked the acidic taste of the product.