STUDY OF THE ABILITY OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA TO FERMENT PLANT ANALOGUES OF MILK
In the work, the ability of lactic acid microorganisms to ferment vegetable analogues of milk is studied. The production of such products is relevant for the food industry, due to the improvement of organoleptic and functional properties. The main consumers of the product are people who exclude dairy products from the diet due to medical prescriptions (food allergies, lactose intolerance, phenylketonuria), personal taste preferences and other reasons. Plant-based alternatives can replace traditional animal products. At the same time, plant substrates are a stressful environment for lactic acid bacteria, and the characteristics of the growth and development of probiotic cultures on such an environment are poorly understood. The purpose of the work is to study the ability of domestic starter cultures to ferment plant analogues of milk (for example, soy), as well as the effect of fermentation on the morphology of starter cultures. The objects of the study were starter cultures: Vivo kefir, starter culture for the preparation of Mechnikovskaya yogurt and yogurt, acidophilus starter culture with probiotic properties, direct application starter culture "Bifivit". The article describes the experience of foreign researchers in the field of fermentation of plant alternatives. Also presented are the results of a study of the intensity of acid formation of domestic starter cultures during fermentation on soy milk, their ability to form a stable clot. The effect of fermentation on the morphological properties of cultures is described. The ability of some cultures of lactic acid microorganisms to ferment soy substrate with the formation of a dense clot and a titratable acidity of at least 60 ⁰T has been established. At the same time, starter cultures containing <i>Streptococcus thermophilus</i> and kefir fungi were the most suitable for plant substrates.