Fermented food products containing probiotic strains and method for preparing same

Abstract

The invention concerns mainly a non-solid fermented food product containing ferments comprising about 5·10 7 , in particular more than about 10 8 bifidobacteria per gram of food product fermented for a shelf lifetime of at least 30 days, in particular of at least 35 days.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A non-firm fermented food product containing ferments, which contain lactic bacteria, comprising more than 5×10 7 , bifidobacteria per gram of fermented food product for a preservation period of at least 30 days. 
     
     
         27 . The non-firm fermented food product containing ferments according to  claim 26 , which contain lactic bacteria, comprising more than 10 8  bifidobacteria per gram of fermented food product for a preservation period of at least 30 days. 
     
     
         28 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the ratio of the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the end of the preservation period to the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the start of the preservation period of at least 30 days. 
     
     
         29 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the ratio of the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the end of the preservation period to the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the start of the preservation period of at least 30 days, is 0.3 to 0.7. 
     
     
         30 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the ratio of the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the end of the preservation period to the number of bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product at the start of the preservation period of at least 30 days, is 0.4 to 0.5. 
     
     
         31 . A non-firm fermented food product preserved for a preservation period of at least 30 days, at a temperature of 4 to 10° C., containing ferments comprising more than 5×10 7 , bifidobacteria per gram of fermented food product. 
     
     
         32 . The non-firm fermented food product according to  claim 31 , containing ferments comprising more than 10 8  bifidobacteria per gram of fermented food product. 
     
     
         33 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , containing more than 5×10 7 , bifidobacteria per gram of fermented food product at the start of the preservation period. 
     
     
         34 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the bifidobacteria contained in the fermented food product are of the type  Bifidobacterium animalis.    
     
     
         35 . The fermented food product according to  claim 34 , in which the bifidobacteria of the type  Bifidobacterium animalis  are selected from the group consisting of  Bifidobacterium animalis animalis  and/or  Bidifobacterium animalis lactis , and/or  Bifidobacterium breve  and/or  Bifidobacterium longum  and/or  Bidifobacterium infantis  and/or  Bidifobacterium bifidum.    
     
     
         36 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , prepared based on plant juice and in particular fruit juice or vegetable juice such as soya juice, or on a dairy product, and in particular on cow's milk and/or on goat's milk. 
     
     
         37 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the ferments contain lactic bacteria, such as one or more bacteria of the genus  Lactobacillus  spp. 
     
     
         38 . The fermented food product according to  claim 37 , in which the bacteria of the genus  Lactobacillus  spp. are selected from the group consisting of  Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus  and/or  Lactobacillus casei  and/or  Lactobacillus reuteri  and/or  Lactobacillus acidophilus  and/or  Lactobacillus helveticus  and/or  Lactobacillus plantarum , and/or bacteria of the type  Lactococcus cremoris  and/or  Streptococcus thermophilus  and/or  Lactococcus lactis  and/or one or more bacteria of the genus  Leuconostoc.    
     
     
         39 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the ferments contain lactic bacteria which exhibit a symbiotic phenomenon between themselves. 
     
     
         40 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the proportion of bifidobacteria in the ferments is 20 to 80%. 
     
     
         41 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , in which the proportion of bifidobacteria in the ferments 30 to 70%. 
     
     
         42 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26  or  6 , in which the proportion of bifidobacteria in the ferments is 40 to 60%. 
     
     
         43 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26  or  6 , in which the proportion of bifidobacteria in the ferments is 50%. 
     
     
         44 . The fermented food product according to  claim 26 , presented in the form of a stirred fermented food product or a fermented food product for drinking or an infant fermented food product. 
     
     
         45 . A process for the preparation of a fermented food product from a starting substance, comprising the following successive stages:
 a stage of seeding of a starting substance, optionally pasteurized, by inoculation with seeding ferments containing 4×10 6  to 1×10 7  bifidobacteria per ml of starting substance, in order to obtain a seeded substance,   a stage of fermentation of the seeded substance obtained in the preceding stage, such that the temperature at the start of fermentation is 36 to 38° C., the temperature at the end of fermentation is 37 to 39° C., and the fermentation time is 8 to 11 hours, in order to obtain a fermented substance,   a stage of intermediate cooling of the fermented substance obtained in the preceding stage, such that the intermediate cooling time is 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours and the intermediate cooling temperature is 4 to 18° C., in order to obtain a pre-cooled substance,   a stage of storage of the pre-cooled substance obtained in the preceding stage, such that the storage time is less than 15 hours, in order to obtain a stored substance,   a stage of final cooling of the stored substance obtained in the preceding stage, such that the temperature at the start of the final cooling is less than 21° C. and the temperature at the end of the final cooling is −2 to 6° C., so as to obtain a fermented food product.   
     
     
         46 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the bifidobacteria are chosen from bacteria of the type  Bifidobacterium animalis.    
     
     
         47 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 46 , in which the bifidobacteria of the type  Bifidobacterium animalis  are selected from the group consisting in  Bifidobacterium animalis animalis  and/or  Bidifobacterium animalis lactis , and/or  Bifidobacterium breve  and/or  Bifidobacterium longum  and/or  Bifidobacterium infantis  and/or  Bifidobacterium bifidum.    
     
     
         48 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the intermediate cooling time is 1 h 30. 
     
     
         49 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the storage time is less than or equal to 12 hours. 
     
     
         50 . The process according to  claim 45 , in which the temperature at the end of final cooling is 4° C. 
     
     
         51 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the seeding ferments contain lactic bacteria, such as one or more bacteria of the genus  Lactobacillus  spp. 
     
     
         52 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 51 , in which the bacteria of the genus  Lactobacillus  spp. are selected from the group consisting in  Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus  and/or  Lactobacillus casei  and/or  Lactobacillus reuteri  and/or  Lactobacillus acidophilus  and/or  Lactobacillus helveticus  and/or  Lactobacillus plantarum , and/or bacteria of the type  Lactococcus cremoris  and/or  Streptococcus thermophilus  and/or  Lactococcus lactis  and/or one or more bacteria of the genus  Leuconostoc.    
     
     
         53 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the proportion of bifidobacteria in the seeding ferments is 20 to 75%. 
     
     
         54 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to claim  20 , in which the starting substance is based on plant juice and in particular fruit juice or vegetable juice such as soya juice, or on a dairy product, constituted by cow's milk and/or goat's milk. 
     
     
         55 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , comprising an additional stirring stage between the fermentation stage and the intermediate cooling stage, making it possible to obtain, from the fermented substance obtained in the fermentation stage, a stirred fermented substance. 
     
     
         56 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , comprising a pasteurization stage before the seeding stage, making it possible to obtain, from the starting substance, a pasteurized starting substance. 
     
     
         57 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , in which the pasteurized starting substance is a pasteurized starting substance which is held, optionally homogenized, and cooled down, obtained from a raw material, said process comprising, before the seeding stage, the following successive stages:
 a stage of standardization of fatty substance of the raw material so as to obtain a standardized substance,   a stage of enrichment with dried matter of the standardized substance obtained in the preceding stage, so as to obtain an enriched substance,   a stage of pre-heating of the enriched substance obtained in the preceding stage, so as to obtain a starting substance,   a stage of pasteurization and holding of the starting substance obtained in the preceding stage, so as to obtain a pasteurized and held substance,   an optional stage of homogenization of the pasteurized and held substance obtained in the preceding stage, so as to obtain a pasteurized, held and optionally homogenized substance,   a stage of initial cooling of the pasteurized, held and optionally homogenized substance obtained in the preceding stage, so as to obtain a pasteurized starting substance, held, optionally homogenized, and cooled down.   
     
     
         58 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45  comprising, after the final cooling stage, a stage of preservation of the fermented food product at a temperature comprised between 4 and 10° C. 
     
     
         59 . The process for the preparation of a fermented food product according to  claim 45 , comprising a stage of the addition of an intermediate preparation simultaneously with the seeding stage or between the seeding stage and the fermentation stage, so as to obtain, from the seeded substance, a completed seeded substance, or after the fermentation stage, so as to obtain, from the fermented substance, a completed fermented substance, said intermediate preparation comprising a preparation of fruits and/or cereals and/or additives such as flavourings and colourings. 
     
     
         60 . A fermented food product as obtained from the process of one of  claims 45 .