Materials, Methods & Technologies, Volume 17, 2023

Rezumat: The increasing consumer’s demand for healthy beverages lead to the production of lactic acid fermented wort-based beverages. They can be classified as functional because of wort vitamins, antioxidants and fibres content and probiotic properties of used lactic acid bacteria strain. However, lactic acid wort- based beverages are not well accepted by consumers because of their poor sensory characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the addition of 0.025 and 0.05 % (v/v) mint (Mentha piperita) essential oil on probiotic, antioxidant, and sensorial properties on lactic acid wort-based beverages. Lactic acid fermentation was carried out at 25°C in a stirred bioreactor without aeration. The addition of mint essential oil inhibited lactic acid fermentation but all the beverages produced can be classified as functional. Although the beverage with 0.05% mint essential oil showed the highest total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, measured by cupric reducing antioxidant power (CUPRAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and ABTS radical scavenging assay, it received the lowest score by tasting panel because its strong taste and aroma. The results obtained will be used for modeling of lactic acids fermentation with addition of mint essential oil for the production of beverage with high biological value and acceptable sensory profile.