Oats and Fat-Free Milk Based Functional Food Product

The present study addresses problems and solutions related to new functional bio-active food product creation. Commercial rolled oats and fat-free milk were used as raw materials. Limited enzymatic hydrolysis of oat starch was carried out by α-amylase. The lactic acid bacteria strains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium sp., and commercial starter cultures ABT-1 were cultivated in enzymatically hydrolysed oat mash. Lactobacillus acidophilus was a more active producer of lactic acid, while Bifidobacterium sp. improved the taste properties. A fat-free milk additive was applied to stabilise the texture of the oat mash, and increase the protein content of the final product. All procedures ensured the preservation of beta-glucan, and the number of active lactic acid bacteria in the final product reached 109 per ml. A yogurt-like oat based product “Oat bio Lacto” supports oat beta-glucan, oat lipid unsaturated fatty acids and living probiotic lactic acid bacteria, and can be considered as polyfunctional nutrition.