Probiotics and prebiotics in fruits and vegetables: technological and sensory aspects

Increased consumer awareness of the relationship between diet and health, has generated greater demand for food products that encourage a general state of well-being, such as functional foods. Among the functional foods, foods with probiotics occupy a large market share. Probiotics are generally added to milk products (yogurt, f ermented milks and cheeses), but individuals who are lactose intolerant are excluded from the consumption of these products, as are vegans and anyone on a low-cholesterol diet. The development of non-dairy products includes the use of fruits and vegetables as food matrices to which beneficial microorganisms are added. Fruits and vegetables are also a natural source of prebiotics. In this review, the presence of probiotics and prebiotics in fruit and vegetables is discussed, with a focus on the effect of the addition of these microorganisms on the technological and sensory aspects.