Probiotic Stability and Antihypertensive Activity of Peptides in Aguamiel Syrup‐Fortified Milk Protein Fermented by <i>Lacticasebacillus rhamnosus</i> GG

ABSTRACT Population growth and increasing interest in health‐promoting foods have stimulated the development of synbiotic products with benefits beyond basic nutrition. This study evaluated aguamiel syrup as a functional ingredient in a synbiotic fermented dairy product, focusing on its ability to enhance antihypertensive peptide release and support the viability of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. A skimmed milk powder solution (10% w/v) was supplemented with 2% aguamiel syrup, while 2% inulin served as the control prebiotic. Fermentation was conducted for 48 h, monitoring probiotic viability, pH, lactic acid production, proteolytic activity, and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Although no significant differences were observed in metabolic parameters or free amino group concentrations, the aguamiel system promoted greater production of low‐molecular‐weight peptides associated with enhanced antihypertensive activity. The aguamiel fermentation reached 41.6% ACE inhibition at 36 h, whereas the inulin control exhibited 20.4% inhibition at 0 h and no detectable activity after 36 h. Additionally, aguamiel syrup accelerated acidification and promoted higher final cell densities, indicating improved fermentation performance. These findings suggest that aguamiel syrup is a promising prebiotic ingredient for synbiotic dairy products with potential antihypertensive applications and relevance for functional food development.