Kluyveromyces marxianus KLU1 Increases the Cell Density and Survival of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG in Dried Kurut.

Kurut is a traditional acid-coagulated dairy fermented product from Kazakhstan, China, Turkey, and some Central Asian countries. It can be consumed either fresh, semi-dried, or dried. In this study, probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) dried kurut was produced with and without the addition of Kluyveromyces marxianus KLU1, a yeast strain, we earlier isolated from kurut. K. marxianus KLU1 increased the cell count of LGG, enabling a probiotic level of >106 CFU/g for more than 100 days in dried kurut stored at +4°C. Addition of LGG and K. marxianus KLU1 in kurut had no adverse effects on sensory attributes or physicochemical properties. K. marxianus KLU1 may also be useful in other applications where the aim is to use in situ approaches to increase the cell number of added probiotic lactobacilli in food fermentations.