APTEFF, 42, 1-288 (2011) UDC: 637.146:663.88]:663.14.039.3 DOI: 10.2298/APT1142063K BIBLID: 1450-7188 (2011) 42, 63-70 Original scientific paper 63 THE EFFECT OF FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE ON THE FUNCTIONAL DAIRY PRODUCT QUALITY KКtКrТЧК G. KКЧurТć a , Dajana V. Hrnjez a , Marjan I. Ranogajec a , SpКsОЧТjК D. MТХКЧШvТć a , MТrОХК D. IХТĉТć a , ЏХКНТЦТr R. ЏuФТć a and Maja Lj. MТХКЧШvТć b a University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia b University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of fermented dairy beverage production by the application of kombucha cultivated on thyme tea in combination with a probiotic starter and to evaluate the quality of the new functional product. Fermented dairy beverages are produced from milk with 1.6% milk fat at three fermentation tem- peratures: 37њC, 40ºC and 43ºC.CСОЦТМКХ quКХТtв, rСОШХШРТМКХ prШpОrtТОs КЧН products of added starter cultures metabolism were determined in the fermented dairy beverages after production and after10 days of storage. Produced fermented dairy beverages have reduced milk fat content and good textural characteristics. Besides the highly valuable milk components, they contain numerous compounds which have pronounced therapeu- tic properties. These products could be used as functional food in the diet of different populations for health improvement. KEY WORDS: milk, kombucha, probiotics, fermented dairy product, functional food INTRODUCTION Nowadays, new food products have the potential to improve human health and also reduce the risk of disease. Functional food is positioned above the traditional food. A product is considered functional food if in addition to the nutritional value it contains components that have a positive effect on health, physical and mental condition of the human body. The most famous examples of functional foods are fermented milk pro- ducts, especially those containing probiotic bacteria and prebiotics. Fermented dairy products contain a number of micronutritive components that, either individually or in combination with other such components, may influence the maintenance or even im- provement of human health (1-3). Fermented milk products, as well as milk, contain all the basic ingredients needed for growth, development, reproduction, maintenance and energy of a human body. These ingredients are lactose, lactic acid, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. During the fer- * CШrrОspШЧНТЧР КutСШr: KКtКrТЧК G. KКЧurТš, UЧТvОrsТtв ШП NШvТ ЋКН, FКМuХtв ШП TОМСЧШХШРв, BuХОvКr МКrК Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia, e-mail: stay@uns.ac.rs