Influence of wall material on production of spray dried <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> NRRL B-4496 and its viability at different storage conditions

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the spray drying conditions to produce Lactobacillus plantarum powders and to investigate their viability at different storage conditions. L. plantarum NRRL B-4496 was spray dried with high maize starch, maltodextrin, or gum arabic and stored under 97 and 10% vacuum at refrigerated (4°C) and room (23°C) temperatures. Probiotic solutions mixed with the different wall materials had different mass flow rates (kg/h) which produced as a result different evaporation rate values for the production of the probiotic powders. High maize starch and gum arabic were better protective agents than maltodextrin. L. plantarum encapsulated with high maize starch, packed under 97% vacuum, and stored at refrigerated temperature maintained the highest cell viability during 60 days of storage (0.14 log reduction).