INFLUENCE OF FERMENTED WHEY DRINK MICROFLORA ON DIGESTION OF LACTOSE

Utilization of chhana whey in the form of a fermented beverage (wheygh urt drink) cultured with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus W and Streptococcus thermophilus H, and its effect on the digestion of residual lactose in the gastrointestinal tract to alleviate lactose in tolerance was investigated, Albino rats were fed with a preliminary di et of sucrose, lactose or sucrose with 20 mi wheyghurt drink for 7 day s, followed by a test diet of galactose and glucose or lactose, fresh or pasteurized wheyghurt drink for another day. Consumption of sucrose and 20 mi wheyghurt drink as preliminary diet and wheyghurt drink con taining viable culture microflora as test diet resulted in better dige stion of lactose with maximum increase in serum galactose level (0.38 mg%/mg consumed x body wt/100 after Ih of consumption) and highest lac tase activity (8.20 mu mol/g/h at pH 7.0). Gastrointestinal survival o f culture organism was demonstrated in vivo up to 3 h after feeding, a nd, thus, improvement in lactose metabolism by consumption of whey dri nk with viable wheyghurt microflora is suggested in relieving symptoms of lactose intolerance associated with the consumption of milk-based food products.