Production of functional Ricotta Cheese

In this work, the suitability of Ricotta cheese as a food carrier for functional ingredients was evaluated. The probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei F19, inoculated at a concentration of 109 cfu/serving size, maintained high counts during the cold storage of Ricotta cheese (7 days at 5°C), without altering the nutritional and sensorial properties of Ricotta samples. Similarly, the addition of 3 % inulin did not significantly change the sensory profile of the cheese, whereas the addition of chestnut flour lowered the perceived sensory characteristics. The synbiotic formulation (with 3 % inulin and 109 cfu/serving size of Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei F19) altered the Ricotta sensorial characteristics, mainly for an excessive acidification.