| Summary: |
Functional foods are known to provide extra protection against degenerative diseases, and delay incidence and severity of chronic health conditions - as long as they are regularly included in a balanced diet. Food demand by consumers has been electing foods closer to their natural form - which are intrinsically rich in nutraceutical
ingredients and/or serve as vehicle for native microorganisms with probiotic effect. PROMETHEUS will accordingly attempt to improve the microbial adventitious profile of plain table olives of regional cultivars, by eventually delivering a starter culture of the best strain - produced under optimal conditions of biomass growth, and stored under
optimal conditions of drying. Choice will result from a thorough screening for in vitro technological features, gastrointestinal performance, safety for human use and probiotic performance; confirmed by animal models; and validated by actual batches, monitored for microbiological, physicochemical and sensory profiles. |