The Effect of Cinnamon on Microbiological, Chemical and Sensory Analyses of Probiotic Yogurt

Probiotics are available in the market as food and nutritional supplements. Probiotics, as functional food group, play a role in protection and development of health, and treatment of diseases. Probiotics are recommended especially in cases of gastrointestinal disorders, atopic dermatitis and food intolerance (1). Probiotic has been described as a “living microbial dietary supplement” that positively affects the host’s intestinal pathways (2). Probiotic bacteria boost the immunity in individuals as well as reduce fecal enzymes and mutagenicity. The nutritional sources of probiotics include fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, cheese, pickles and raw sausage, which contain probiotic bacteria and/or yeasts (3). The probiotic property of a food is based on its medical activity, the number of active cells or the total number of living cells per mL (4). A probiotic food must contain at least 1.0x106 colonyforming units (cfu)/g of living probiotic microorganisms (5).