Carrots (the main source of carotenoids) have multiple
nutritional and health benefits. The objectives of
this study were to evaluate the compositional, antioxidant,
and antimicrobial properties of carrot powder
and to examine its effect on the sensory characteristics,
chemical properties, and microbial viability of probiotic
soft cheese at a rate of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%. The
carrot was turned into powder before being analyzed
and incorporated as an ingredient in making probiotic
soft cheese. Probiotic soft cheese was made from buffalo
milk. The buffalo milk (~6.9% fat, 4.4% protein, 9.2%
milk solids not fat, and 0.7% ash) was pasteurized at
75 ± 1°C for 5 min and cooled to 40–42°C. The milk
was then divided into 4 aliquots. Sodium chloride (local
market, Assiut, Egypt) was added at a ratio of 5%
followed by starter cultures. The carrot powder (4.5%
moisture, 4.8% ash, 2.7% fat, 8.2% protein, 11.9% fibers,
and 72.3% carbohydrate) was added at a rate of
0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%, followed by addition of 0.02 g/kg
rennet. The cheese was cut again into cubes, pickled in
jars filled with whey, and stored for 28 d at 6 ± 1°C.
The results of this study illustrated the nutritional and
antioxidant properties of carrot powder. Incorporation
of carrot powder in probiotic soft cheese affected the
moisture and salt content at 0 d. The total bacteria
count decreased from 7.5 to 7.3 log cfu/g in the cheese
when carrot powder was used at a rate of 0.6%. The
reduction of total bacteria count was noticed during the
28 d of storage by adding carrot powder. Furthermore,
lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium longum counts
elevated with adding carrot powder during the 28 d of
storage.