7 authors, including: Serena Niro Università degli Studi del Molise 25

CONCLUSION

Nutritional benefits associated with the intake of probiotic microorganisms, soluble dietary fibres or both, could bring attractive new products to fulfil market niches. The probiotic strain Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei F19 showed a high survival during the cold storage of Ricotta cheese, maintaining counts over 10⁹ cfu/serving size, without altering the nutritional and sensorial properties of Ricotta samples.

Therefore, with a standard Ricotta dietary intake (about 100 g), it is possible to obtain a temporary intestinal colonization by this probiotic. Also, the consumption of 100 g of Ricotta cheese added with 3 % inulin allows the coverage of 50 %

fibre intake (about 5 g/die), the daily amount indicated to obtain beneficial effects on the gut. On the other hand, the synbiotic formulation with inulin and Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei F19, as well as that produced with the addition of chestnut flour, significantly altered the Ricotta sensorial characteristics. However, it should be stressed that all the functional products proposed herein can be a basis for the creation of desserts with Ricotta, whose sensorial characteristics can be improved and possibly enhanced by the addition of other ingredients, such as cocoa, coffee, and fruit syrups.