Singapore researchers convert unused bread to ‘dairy-free’ probiotic drink

Researchers from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the National University of Singapore have recently came up with a brilliant idea to convert old, unsold bread into a probiotic drink.
The creamy end-product is a drink which is slightly fizzy and sweet, which can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 weeks while maintaining at least 1 billion live probiotic cells per serving, which is recommended by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to deliver maximum health benefits.
The researchers have filed a patent for the zero-waste process used to make the probiotic beverage, and they hope to work with industry partners to commercialise the drink.
Liu Shao Quan, PhD, Associate Professor said, “There is currently a lack of non-dairy probiotic food and beverage options in the market. So, our refreshing and healthy new product will help to fill this gap. Our invention also enables bread makers to give their unsold products a new lease of life. We are confident that the bread-based probiotic beverage will have a strong appeal to those who are environmentally conscious.”
Miss Nguyen Thuy Linh, one of the researchers said she usually cannot finish a loaf of bread before the expiration date. “It is a waste to discard the nutrients in bread,” she said. As such, finding a way to repurpose surplus bread by upcycling it into something delicious and nutritious is definitely a good move towards sustainability.
Nguyen is part of a research team which tested different types of bread and decided to focus on white sandwich bread since it is commonly available in supermarkets. The team took 9 months to perfect their recipe. In summary, the first production step involves cutting the bread into small pieces and blending the pieces with water to get a bread slurry. After the slurry is pasteurised and probiotic bacteria and yeast are added, the mixture is left to ferment. The entire process takes about one day.
Another member of the team, Toh Mingzhan said, “Most probiotic drinks are dairy-based and unsuitable for people with lactose intolerance. Our bread-based probiotic beverage is non-dairy, making it an attractive option for this group of consumers.”