Effect of storage on shelf life and viability of freeze-dried and microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium infantis cultures

Lactobacillus acidophilus CSCC 2409 and Bifidobacterium infantis CSCC 1912 were encapsulated with calcium alginate or whey protein, and the effect of freeze drying on their viability during storage and in yogurt was studied. The results showed that freeze-dried storage caused a substantial loss of viability in the free cells over an eight-week storage period at -20°C. The losses were, however, lower (p<0.05) for calcium alginate encapsulated and whey protein encapsulated cells.