Synbiotics are usually associated with promoting the gut health of consumers and thus they have seen an increase in demand. Kefir is a milk-based fermented beverage containing beneficial microorganisms, whereas, basil seed is a natural polysaccharide that acts as a prebiotic and fat-replacing agent. In the present study, kefir grains (3%w/v) and basil seed mucilage extract (BSME, 0.3%w/v) were inoculated into pasteurized cow-milk and were further fermented at 25 ± 2 °C for 24 h. Formulation of synbiotic drink (SKD) was characterized for functional group analysis using FTIR. The micronutrient and storage stability was analysed using AOAC methods. Amino acid profiling and fatty acid content was estimated using LC-MS and GC-FID, respectively. Antioxidant potential was evaluated using DPPH, phenolic, flavonoid, and FRAP assays. FTIR analysis confirmed that lipids, fatty acids, carbohydrates and proteins changed during the fermentation process, due to addition of BSME. Micronutrient profiling revealed higher content of iron (3.54 ± 0.08 mg/100mL), zinc (4.52 ± 0.15 mg/100mL), and calcium (32.89 ± 0.7 mg/100mL). Amino acid and fatty acid analyses revealed notable concentrations of essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids. Novel SKD formulation showed highly significant antioxidant potential compared to the control ( p < 0.05). These findings suggest that novel SKD could serve as a beneficial dietary intervention for improving gut health.
Adya et al. (Tue,) studied this question.