Microencapsulation of potential probiotic strain lactobacillus plantarum JS7A by spray drying

In the present study, we investigated the use of spray drying as a way to prepare dairybased powders with high number of viable cells of the potential probiotic strain L. plantarum JS7A. Microencapsulation was done using reconstituted skim milk (RSM), inulin and maltodextrin as carriers. When RSM was used as a spray drying carrier a microbial survival rate of 73 % was achieved, although the partial substitution of skim milk with inulin also resulted in high level of survival of 70 %. The poorest survival of 41 % was obtained with maltodextrin as a carrier. The moisture contents in powders were ranging from 4.1 % to 4.4 %. Spray drying process stressed the cells which was shown by increased sensitivity to NaCl. However, it was obtained that reconstituted skim milk showed the significantly lower inhibition of cells of 49 % comparing with inulin and maltodextrin with 55 and 75 % of inhibition, respectively.