Danisco BioActives has unveiled what they call “outstanding initial results,” using novel encapsulation technology to improve the survival of probiotic cultures at high temperatures and during storage in semi-moist applications. Trials with an encapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus culture have found that resistance to temperatures up to 50 C (122 F) increased 10-fold, when heat-treatment was applied for 24 hours under dry conditions. In addition, the probiotic strain retained 60% viability after five months’ storage at room temperature at a nutritional bar with a moisture level of 0.35Aw. Additional tests with the encapsulated probiotic in a recombined cheese applications showed processing resistance 2,500 times superior to that of the control, says Danisco. Says Isabelle Mazeaud, bioprocess development senior scientist at Danisco, “A high level of probiotic survival all through process and storage is both technically and economically critical for food and supplement manufacturers.” Danisco BioActives, +33 1 56 60 47 26, cultures@danisco.com, www.danisco.com

From the November 23, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition