# Emmer-Based Beverage Fortified with Fruit Juices
## 3 Results
### Starter Culture Viability  
Ensuring the viability of probiotics at fermentation and during the storage period is a vital concern for the development of probiotic fermented products. Table 5 presents changes in _L. plantarum_ 2035 viable cell counts during refrigerated storage of the emmer beverages. The initial counts of _L. plantarum_ 2035 were, in all cases, higher than 8 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\), which are also similar to those reported in other cereal beverages, based on oat, barley and malt flour, inoculated with _L. plantarum_[57]. The acid-resistant nature of _L. plantarum_ 2035 can explain the high viable counts, present in all beverages, that were retained after 28 days of storage. The capability of this microorganism to survive in sufficient numbers even at low temperatures has also been previously demonstrated during yogurt and fermented emmer beverage production [13; 18]. The viability of _L. plantarum_ 2035 during storage presented the same trend in all cases (with and without fruit juice addition). More specifically, an increase up to the 1 st day of storage, was observed, followed by a continuous slight reduction. More specifically, after the addition of culture the numbers of _L. plantarum_ 2035 increased 0.39 to 0.83 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\) during the 1 st day, and then a reduction of 1.3 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\) in CEB and 0.6-0.9 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\) in the fruit beverages until the end of the storage period was observed. After 28 days of storage the numbers of _L. plantarum_ 2035 were significantly (\(p<0.001\)) higher in the beverages fortified with fruit juices (7.61-8.04 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\)) compared to CEB (7.18 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\)). An explanation could be the increased content of phenolic compounds and reducing sugars that may enhance the viability of _L. plantarum_ 2035. The viability of _L. plantarum_ 2035 in beverages during storage is considered very important since this strain has excellent functional characteristics, including high adhesive  
\begin{table} \begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Days** & **CEB** & **GEB** & **AEB** & **BEB** & **Significance** \\ \hline Initial & \(8.08\pm 0.03\) b.m & \(8.08\pm 0.03\) b.m & \(8.08\pm 0.03\) b.m & \(8.08\pm 0.03\) b.m & ns \\
1 & \(8.46\pm 0.10\) b.m & \(8.54\pm 0.10\) b.m & \(8.91\pm 0.15\) b.m & \(8.55\pm 0.06\) b.m & **m** \\
7 & \(8.26\pm 0.08\) b.m & \(8.45\pm 0.06\) b.m & \(8.60\pm 0.10\) b.m & \(8.40\pm 0.08\) b.m & **m** \\
14 & \(8.06\pm 0.11\) b.m & \(8.25\pm 0.14\) b.m & \(8.46\pm 0.09\) b.m & \(8.31\pm 0.11\) b.m & **m** \\
21 & \(7.32\pm 0.16\) b.m & \(8.00\pm 0.11\) b.m & \(8.24\pm 0.05\) b.m & \(8.17\pm 0.06\) b.m & **m** \\
28 & \(7.18\pm 0.14\) b.m & \(7.61\pm 0.18\) b.m & \(8.04\pm 0.14\) b.m & \(7.95\pm 0.15\) b.m & **m** \\ significance & **m** & **m** & **m** & **m** \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}   
capacity as previously documented in vitro [20]. In addition, _L. plantarum_ 2035 has been successfully used in a rat model and survived transit through the gastrointestinal track, exhibited transient distinct adhesion to the intestinal mucosa, and modulated the systemic immune response [21]. Nowadays, information about the minimum effective concentrations of probiotics is still insufficient; however, it is generally accepted that probiotic products should have a minimum concentration of \(10^{6}\) CFU mL\({}^{-1}\) or g\({}^{-1}\) and that a daily intake of \(10^{8}\)-\(10^{9}\) probiotic microorganisms should be achieved, in order to exert a probiotic action in the consumer [58]. Similarly, Health Canada and the Italian Ministry of Health have established, among other requirements for probiotic foods, a minimum number of viable cells (\(10^{9}\) CFU) administered per serving or per day respectively [59]. In the present study, the numbers of _L. plantarum_ 2035 in all beverages during production and refrigerated storage (even after 28 days) were above 7 log CFU g\({}^{-1}\). Of note, the use of juice led to even higher stabilities of _L.