Valorization of Cranberry Pomace Through Application in Probiotic Smoothies

With increasing interest in food products enriched with dietary fiber and probiotics, there is a growing need for functional ingredients that can serve both as fiber sources and as suitable components of probiotic foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of enzymatically hydrolyzed cranberry pomace as a dietary fiber source in probiotic smoothies and to assess its effects on physicochemical and sensory properties, as well as probiotic viability during storage and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Smoothies were prepared using cranberry pomace hydrolyzed with the commercial enzymes Celluclast® 1.5 L or Viscozyme® L and were supplemented with Bifidobacterium animalis DSM 20105 and Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079. Physicochemical parameters, sensory properties, probiotic viability during 28 days of storage at 4 °C, and survival during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion were assessed. Smoothies containing Viscozyme® L-treated pomace showed lower pH values and higher total titratable acidity, although acidity remained stable throughout storage. Pomace-enriched smoothies were perceived as more acidic and thicker but less sweet, whereas the formulation with Celluclast® 1.5 L-treated pomace received the most favorable scores for color, cranberry taste, acidity, and overall acceptability. Probiotic viability during storage was strain-dependent. B. animalis DSM 20105 remained above 6 log10 CFU/g after 28 days, whereas L. acidophilus DSM 20079 declined below this level during the first week. During simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, a reduction in B. animalis viability was observed; however, viable counts remained above 6 log10 CFU/g in the control smoothie and in the formulation containing Celluclast® 1.5 L-treated pomace. Overall, the smoothie containing Celluclast® 1.5 L-treated pomace showed the most favorable overall performance under the storage and digestion conditions.