Abstract
In this study, the production of carob molasses with the addition of free and microencapsule probiotic culture was carried out and the effect of storage conditions on product quality characteristics was examined. Lactobacillus rhamnosus was used as a probiotic culture in the production of probiotic carob molasses. Plain (control group) and probiotic carob molasses samples were stored for 30 days at 2 different temperatures (4oC and 25oC) and probiotic viable cell count, pH and sensory analyses were performed in carob molasses samples. At the end of storage, the number of live probiotic cells was 7.79 log cfu/mL and 7.31 log cfu/mL respectively in molasses produced with microencapsule culture and free culture. While the effect of storage time on the number of L. rhamnosus was insignificant for samples produced with free culture, it was found to be statistically important for samples produced with microencapsule culture. Additionally, in probiotic cell concentration, different storage temperatures have not had a significant effect. On the pH values of the samples, it was determined that only the effect of storage time was important. The highest appreciation in terms of sensory properties was taken by plain carob molasses, which is an example of the control group, while the lowest appreciation was the molasses produced with microencapsule culture. Sensory quality scores decreased in all molasses samples at the end of storage. It was also found to have a more positive effect on the sensory properties of storage at 4oC