Antioxidant Activities and Viability of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Yogurt Made from Buffalo Milk with Addition of Blewah (Cucumis melo L Var. reticulatusNaudin) Juice

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the addition of blewah juice (Cucumis melo L var. reticulatusNaudin) on the viability of lactic acid bacteria and the antioxidant activity of yogurt produced and to obtain the best storage time of yogurt based on the viability of lactic acid bacteria and antioxidant activity produced.  The results indicated that the phenolic compounds contained in yogurt added with blewah juice did not contain components that had specific bactericidal activity on the culture starter.  It was seen that on the first day of refrigerator storage (4^oC), the number of lactic acid bacteria remained at 10⁸ log CFU/g and only showed a decrease in the number of lactic acid bacteria to 10⁷ log CFU/g until the end of the storage process in the refrigerator (4^oC).  Antioxidant activity of yogurt with the addition of blewah juice occurred at the 7^th day of storage in the refrigerator. It was assumed that on the 7^th day, lactic acid bacteria were able to metabolize phenolic compounds through hydrolysis of phenolic glycosides to aglycone so as to increase antioxidant activity until the 7^th day of storage in the refrigerator.