<![CDATA[Banana contains prebiotic-associated carbohydrates that can support lactic acid bacteria (LAB), but this compositional potential may not translate into microbial performance after fermentation and freezing. This study tested whether banana (Musa paradisiaca) paste preserves aeration while supporting culturable LAB in fermented ice cream. A completely randomized design included 0, 5, 10, and 15% banana paste with five experimental replicates per treatment. The mix was pasteurized, inoculated with Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus, fermented at 37 °C for 8 h, aged at 4 °C for 4 h, whipped, frozen at -10 °C, and analyzed for overrun, pH, and total culturable LAB. Results: Banana paste did not significantly affect overrun (6.54-9.30%; P > 0.05). pH differed among treatments (P < 0.05): the control and 5% formulation were similar (5.98-5.99), whereas 10 and 15% paste reduced pH to 5.81 and 5.65. LAB counts also differed (P < 0.05), decreasing from 9.5 × 10^5 CFU/mL in the control to 3.3 × 10^5, 2.25 × 10^5, and 1.25 × 10^5 CFU/mL at 5, 10, and 15%, respectively. Duncan grouping separated the control from banana-containing formulations but not the three banana levels from one another. The principal finding is a process-dependent formulation trade-off: banana paste preserved overrun but coincided with lower recoverable LAB. Because the marked decline was already evident at 5% before a significant pH shift occurred, final acidity alone cannot explain the microbial response. Prebiotic-associated composition therefore did not guarantee finished-product microbial performance under the tested process.]]>
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