Probiotic Milk with Gut-Healthy Additives Survives Digestion
- Authors
- Katarzyna Szajnar, Małgorzata Pawlos, Magdalena Kowalczyk, Julita Drobniak, Agata Znamirowska-Piotrowska
- Journal
- Nurtients
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3390/nu17132249
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Poland
- Health Condition
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Body System
- Digestive
TL;DR
Adding inulin and sodium butyrate to probiotic milk helped probiotics survive digestion and maintained good taste and texture.
Key Finding
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Summary
This study tested how inulin and sodium butyrate affected probiotic milk’s quality and the survival of beneficial bacteria during digestion. The combination did not harm probiotic viability and, depending on the strain, influenced acidity, texture, and consumer acceptability. These results support using inulin-butyrate fortified dairy products to improve gut health without compromising product quality.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Probiotics are increasingly recognized for their role in managing gastrointestinal disorders through modulation of gut microbiota. Restoring microbial balance remains a therapeutic challenge. Recent strategies combine probiotics, inulin, and sodium butyrate as synergistic agents for gut health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of milk supplementation with inulin and sodium butyrate on physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, and the survival of selected probiotic strains during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Methods: Fermented milk samples were analyzed for color, pH, titratable acidity, and syneresis. A trained sensory panel evaluated aroma, texture, and acceptability. Samples underwent a standardized in vitro digestion simulating oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. Viable probiotic cells were counted before digestion and at each stage, and survival rates were calculated. Results: Physicochemical and sensory attributes varied depending on probiotic strain and supplementation. Inulin and the inulin-sodium butyrate combination influenced syneresis and acidity. Lacticaseibacillus casei 431 and Lactobacillus johnsonii LJ samples showed the highest viable counts before digestion. Two-way ANOVA confirmed that probiotic strain, supplementation type, and their interactions significantly affected bacterial survival during digestion (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of inulin and sodium butyrate did not impair probiotic viability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The effects on product characteristics were strain-dependent (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, L. casei 431, L. paracasei L26, L. acidophilus LA-5, L. johnsonii LJ). These findings support the use of inulin-butyrate fortification in dairy matrices to enhance the functional potential of probiotic foods targeting gut health.