Composition And Effects Of Opuntia Ficus Indica Cladodes Juice On Lactic Bacteria Growth And Yoghourt Acidification

The cladodes juice extracted through pressure of Opuntia ficus indica spinless has an interesting sugar, polyphenols and ascorbic composition at different growth stage ; particularly in young stem with weight lower than 170 g. The young cladodes with weight close to “nopalitos” consumed in some country and Mexico (78 -130 g) have a content of polyphenol, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), soluble dry matter with respectively : 320 mg/l, 93 mg/l, 45 mg/l. However, the use of juice partially concentrated at 60% to improve the yoghourt quality has revealed that a 10% quantity had a significant effect on rate growth of lactic bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis sub sp cremoris but had a limited effect on lactobacillus bulgaricus growth, particulary on Bifidobacterium infantis growth. The addition of cladodes juice to the yoghourt at a rate of 10% had a sensitive effect on the fermentation kinetic, leading to a shortening of the incubation lasting comparatively to the control. Alight modification of taste and yoghourt colour have been noticed. Acceptability was slightly modi-fied.