Kefir and Lactobacillus plantarum Cultures in the Production of Fermented Blueberry Juices

Developing the nutritional profile of food through the fermentation produced by lactic acid bacteria is part of sustainable development, but it also helps to improve public health. Thus, the objective of the study was to obtain synbiotic juices of fruit origin, which can successfully substitute well-known probiotic dairy products and also be introduced into the diet of vegetarians or people with certain intolerances to animal products. In this regard, two fermented blueberry juices were obtained: NC, using kefir cultures, and NP with Lactobacillus plantarum inoculation. Two more simple blueberry juices were used as controls: NCM, thermostatted at 24 °C and NPM, at 37 °C. The four types of juices were subjected to physicochemical and microbiological analyses. The results show that NP juice is the best substitute from a physicochemical point of view, presenting the highest polyphenol content and the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity even after refrigeration for 5 days. Additionally, the microbiological results of the analyzed juices can recommend these products for industrial production.