Enhancing Yogurt Functionality: Effects of Aronia melanocarpa and Lactobacillus acidophilus

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the impact of Aronia melanocarpa puree (2% and 6%) and Lactobacillus ( L .) acidophilus DSM 20079 on yogurt quality during 28 days of storage, with emphasis on physicochemical, microbiological, and biofunctional properties. Acidification kinetics varied with formulation, with yogurt B (6% aronia+probiotic) reaching pH 4.6 faster (194 ± 2 min) than yogurt A (2% aronia+probiotic; 233 ± 2 min). The addition of aronia reduced hardness while enhancing water holding capacity. It also enhanced functional properties, with 6% aronia and L. acidophilus DSM 20079 increasing total phenolic content by 71.04% and DPPH activity by 414.93% compared to the control. Yogurt B exhibited the highest α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity on Day 28 (33.23%), whereas the control showed 12.21%. ACE inhibitory activity was enhanced only in probiotic‐containing yogurts. In addition, antioxidant bioaccessibility peaked during intestinal digestion, where FRAP values increased by up to 435.80%. Sensory evaluation indicated that the addition of probiotics to aronia‐enriched yogurts positively influenced overall sensory quality scores, although stirred‐type samples received the lowest scores (5.08) by Day 28. Throughout storage, L. acidophilus DSM 20079 counts remained above the recommended probiotic threshold of 6 log CFU/g, ensuring the functional probiotic potential of the product. These findings highlight the potential of aronia and probiotic supplementation to improve the functional and sensory properties of yogurt, offering a promising strategy for the development of functional dairy products.