LAUSR

Abstract High lipid food matrices are advantageous in protecting probiotic microorganisms during storage and also during digestion. This study aimed to apply enzymatically interesterified milk fat (MF) and palm olein (PO) blends as the fat base for the formulation of a probiotic table spread with improved melting behavior when compared to butter. Enzymatic interesterification imparted spreadability to the probiotic table spreads at room temperature, while the viability of the probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12, which ranged from 8 to 9 log CFU/g during 28 days, was not affected. The mean B. animalis Bb-12 populations under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions were kept between 5.5 and 8.7 log CFU/g. Hence, these table spreads revealed to be a suitable food matrix for the incorporation of B. animalis Bb-12 and interesterification combined with the addition of PO improved textural and nutritional properties by increasing the unsaturation level of the fat base.