Microbial utilization of stachyose in soymilk yogurt production

Conventional dairy yogurt starter cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were studied for their ability to reduce stachyose in soymilk after 8 h fermentation at 44 degree C. The bacteria required acclimatization and propagation in soymilk prior to inoculation of fermentation medium. Plain soymilk fermented by inocula developed from the starter cultures stored in soymilk at -10 degree C for 24, 168 and 360 h had 14.8, 26.7 and 31.5% reduction in stachyose concentration respectively after 8 h fermentation at 44 degree C.