# Emmer-Based Beverage Fortified with Fruit Juices
###### Abstract  
Nowadays, there is a growing consumer demand for non-dairy functional foods due to several health issues related to milk and dairy consumption and increasing vegetarianism. Following that trend, in the present study emmer-based beverages were developed after flour gelatinization, fortification with fruit juices (blueberry, aronia, and grape) and fermentation with the potential probiotic strain _Lactliamitobacillus plantarum_ 2035. The produced beverages were subjected to a 4-week storage at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The addition of juices significantly affected the physicochemical characteristics of the beverages, while resulting in increased red color. Total phenolic content (22.3-31.9 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g\({}^{-1}\)) and antioxidant activity (94-136 umol Trolox equivalents 100 g\({}^{-1}\)) were significantly higher in the case of aronia juice followed by blueberry and grape juice. All beverages showed high values of apparent viscosity and water-holding capacity. _Lactliamitobacillus plantarum_ 2035 retained high viable counts during storage especially in beverages with fruit juices (>10\({}^{8}\) cells g\({}^{-1}\) up to 21 st day) revealing a positive effect of the juices. The obtained results show that emmer-based beverages fortified with fruit juices (aronia, blueberry, and grape) have a great potential as carriers of probiotics, prebiotics and other functional compounds and may be served as an ideal alternative to dairy products. total phenolic content; antioxidant activity; viscosity; color; _Triticum turgidum_ ssp. _dioxcoides_ +
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and bioactivity of emmer, also revealing its prebiotic potential. Therefore, an increase in studies using emmer wheat is observed in products like Frankfurters [9], pasta [10], beer [11] and beverages [12; 13]. However, the use of emmer wheat flour for the development of potential functional/probiotic fermented beverages is limited and, therefore, more studies are needed. Among LAB, _Lactiplantibacillus plantarum_ (former _Lactobacillus plantarum_) is one of the most studied species that has numerous applications in food industry as probiotic and/or starter microorganism. An important feature of this microorganism is its presence in several environments, in contrast to other well-known _Lactobacillus_, such as dairy products, vegetables, cereals, meat, silage, wine, gastrointestinal, vaginal, and urogenital tracts [14]. This characteristic provides the capability to easily adapt in different ecosystems. _L. plantarum_ strains have been also used in novel and traditional functional foods and beverages with improved nutritional and technological features [15; 16; 17]. Among _L. plantarum_ strains, _L. plantarum_ 2035 presents excellent technological and functional characteristics and it has been successfully used in yogurt and fermented milk production, also presenting an antagonistic effect against _Listeria monocytogenes_[18; 19]. Previous research documented its probiotic properties in vitro including among other things high adhesive capacity and immunostimulatory activity demonstrated by the dorsal mouse air pouch system [20], while it 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]. The aim of the present study was the development of an emmer-based fermented beverage using a potential probiotic _L. plantarum_ strain. In order, to further increase the functional properties of the beverage, several juices (grapes, aronia and blueberry) were added in the fermentation mixture, based on the numerous health benefits associated with juices and their characteristics that facilitate LAB/probiotics growth [22; 23; 22]. Furthermore, it is a usual practice to combine plant-based beverages with fruit products [24]. The novel emmer-based beverages were stored at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C for up to 4 weeks and their physicochemical characteristics, color, viscosity, functional characteristics, and _L.