In- vitro evaluation of Indian indigenous green leafy vegetables for prebiotic potential in synbiotic yoghurt formulation

The study aimed to explore the effect of incorporation of green leafy vegetables on the growth of bioyoghurt cultures for the development of synbiotic yoghurt by harnessing the prebiotic potential of Indian green leafy vegetables in combination with probiotics. Indian indigenous green leafy vegetables have long been integral to traditional diets, offering a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. This study investigates the in-vitro prebiotic potential of five such green leafy vegetables; Spinacia oleracea (spinach), Raphanus sativus (raddish leaves), Coriandrum sativum (coriander leaves), Murraya koenigii (curry leaves) and Mentha spicata (mint leaves) within synbiotic yoghurt formulations. The study evaluated the impact of these green leafy vegetables on the growth and viability of yoghurt culture and probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12. Results indicated that curry leaves demonstrated the strongest prebiotic potential, significantly enhancing probiotic viability and accelerating yoghurt fermentation time, especially in combination with the probiotic strains. Curry leaves also showed high prebiotic activity scores (PAS) and prebiotic indices (PI) for Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12, comparable to the standard prebiotic inulin. Further research could focus on optimizing the concentrations and combinations of these green leafy vegetables to enhance their prebiotic efficacy, as well as exploring their applications in other probiotic-rich foods beyond yoghurt.