RESEARCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROBIOTIC PRODUCT FROM BROWN RICE USING Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745

Abstract

The development of non-dairy probiotic beverages represents a promising alternative for individuals adhering to a vegan diet, those with milk protein allergies and individuals with lactose intolerance. Saccharomyces boulardii is currently the only commercially available probiotic yeast approved for human consumption. In addition to its probiotic characteristics, S. boulardii has been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various forms of diarrhea, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Brown rice is known for its numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of diabetes, obesity and cancer. This study aimed to develop a probiotic beverage derived from brown rice using S. boulardii as the fermenting agent. The optimal fermentation conditions determined were as follows: an initial soluble solids concentration of 12°Bx, an initial pH of 6.0 and an inoculum ratio of 0.5%. After 24 hours of fermentation at 28°C, the yeast cell density reached 9.54 × 10⁷ CFU/mL. The resulting probiotic brown rice beverage exhibited a soluble solids concentration of 10.6°Bx, a final pH of 3.94 and an ethanol concentration of 0.63% v/v. The sensory evaluation yielded a score of 18.6 points. After 28 days of storage at 4 ± 1°C, the viable cell count of S. boulardii remained at 9.45 × 10⁷ CFU/mL, indicating good stability of the probiotic population over time.