Abstract:
Encapsulation is an effective approach to deliver probiotics to consumers without compromising
their viability. Probiotics are sensitive to processing, storage and gastrointestinal tract
conditions, often leading to cell death during production and ingestion. The study aimed to
develop drinking yogurt enriched with encapsulated probiotics. Probiotics were obtained from a
commercial starter culture and identified through Gram staining and catalase test. The isolated
probiotics were encapsulated using the spray-drying method. Viable cells within the
encapsulated beads were determined by breaking the beads with a sodium citrate solution (2%
w/v, pH 7), and encapsulated probiotics were incorporated into drinking yogurt. Yoghurts were
stored at 4°C for 13 days and analysed for total plate count, yeast and mold count and pH. The
isolated bacteria produced cream color colonies with entire margins, were Gram-positive and
catalase-negative. Encapsulated probiotics showed significantly higher survival at acidic pH (pH
3) compared to free cellswith counts of 6.44 ± 0.09 log10 CFU/mL at pH3 and 7.39 ± 0.12 log
CFU/mL at pH7, compared to the control (6.28 ± 0.03, 7.36 ± 0.01 log CFU/mL). Both yoghurt
samples showed a significant pH decrease over the 13-day storage period. Probiotic viable cell
count increased significantly from day 1 to 13 for both control and encapsulated yoghurt samples.
On day 13 encapsulated probiotic yogurt recorded a higher count (6.21 ± 0.14 log CFU/mL) than
the control (6.01 ±0.10 log CFU/mL), thought, the difference was not > 2 log CFU/mL. Lactic acid
bacteria counts did not change drastically, suggesting the encapsulated probiotics remain intact
without being released into the yoghurt matrix, potentially enabling delivery to the large
intestine. The encapsulation efficiency was 86.78%. No yeast or mold growth was detected up to
day 13 confirming the products shelf life.In conclusion, drinking yogurt enriched with
encapsulated probiotics to consumers.
