One hundred and thirty six (136) samples of yogurts with fruits from eight different brands, acquired in supermarkets of São Paulo, in the period betwen 1997 and 1998, have been analysed aiming to characterise them for physico-chemical parameters, histologycal identification of added fruits and viability of lactic bacteria. On valuation official methodologies and recommendations were used . Concerning the physico-chemical parameters, the obtained results for medium verification and standard deviation were as follows: pH (4.01±0.11); volatile substances (77.91%±1.85); fixed mineral residue (0.68%±0.10); lipids (1.95%±0.65); protein (2.95%±0.46); total carbohydrates (15.89%±1.44) and caloric value (93±9). From the 136 samples analyzed, fraud was detected in 5.8% for not containing the fruits indicated in the label, in 40.4% for containing hystological elements of vegetables not discriminated by the manufacturer and in 44.1% for containing filamentous fungi, a signal of bad usage of the raw material. The positivity of fermentation in a dilution of up to 10 was verified with regard to the viability of lactic bacteria even in those samples which had only cocci Gran-positives. In the individual counting of sterptococci and lactobaccilli, 31.73% of the samples had at least 10(7) UFC/mL, the minimum limit indicated by "Recomendação Mercosul nº 31/97".
yogurts with fruits; nutritional composition and caloric value; histologyc identification; viability of lactic bacteria
