Rheological, sensorial and chemopreventive properties of milk fermented with exopolysaccharide-producing lactic cultures

The objective of this research was to evaluate the rheological and chemopreventive properties of milk fermented with different exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing lactic cultures. All EPS-producing cultures except a strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus increased viscosity and reduced viscoelastic moduli in fermented milk. In the chemoprevention study, rats (20) in 6 groups were fed diets supplemented with fermented milks made with single strains of EPS-producing and non-producing cultures, while rats in group 7 (control) were fed diet supplemented with milk acidified with glucono-delta-lactone. All rats were injected with azoxymethane (15 mg/kg, subcutaneous) at weeks 7 and 8 of age to induce tumors. After 30 weeks of initiation, rats were anesthetized with ether and number and size of tumors were recorded in the colon and small intestine. Rats fed diets supplemented with fermented milk made with two EPS-positive and one EPS-negative strains significantly lowered colon tumor incidence and colon tumor multiplicity.