Influence of Spirulina platensis powder on the starter culture viability in probiotic yoghurt containing spinach during cold storage

Functional foods are among the topical issues in nu trition, nutritional foods, medicine and health fie lds. Considering the unique properties of Spirulina plat ensis, it can be used to enrich yogurt. The main pu rpose of this research was to monitor the influence of the powder ed Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis added to the yoghurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and spinach on the survival of yogurt starter culture during th e refrigerated storage. The cell viability of yoghurt starter cult ures (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus a nd Streptococcus thermophilus) and Lactobacillus acidophilus under rconditions in yoghurts prepared with (0.5 and 0.8 (w/w) %) the addition of Spirulina powder and w ith (10 and 13 (w/w) %) spinach was investigated. T he yoghurts were prepared under hygienic laboratory conditions. The samples of yoghurts were stored at 4 °C and in vestigated on days 1, 7, 14 and 21. Viable counts of the lacti c acid bacteria were above 6 log cfumL - 1 of all “Spirulina