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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
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Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality
Published on: April 7, 2023
Fermentation technologies for the production of probiotics with high viability and functionality
Christophe Lacroix1, Selcuk Yildirim
1Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland. christophe.lacroix@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|March 6, 2007
Summary
Probiotics offer health benefits, but their production is limited by sensitivity and difficult propagation. Novel fermentation techniques could improve probiotic strains and expand their applications.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Food Science
Background:
- Growing evidence supports probiotic health benefits from mechanistic and clinical studies.
- Commercial probiotic strain selection often prioritizes technological properties over health benefits due to sensitivity and propagation challenges.
- Current probiotic production relies heavily on conventional batch fermentation and suspended cultures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore alternative fermentation technologies for enhancing probiotic production.
- To identify methods for improving the physiology and gut functionality of probiotic strains.
- To expand the range of commercially available probiotics and their applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of conventional probiotic production methods (batch fermentation, suspended cultures, stress enhancement, protectants, microencapsulation).
- Exploration of less conventional technologies like continuous culture and immobilized cell systems.
- Focus on improving fastidious organism performance and cell viability.
Main Results:
- Conventional methods face limitations in selecting and producing strains with optimal health properties.
- Continuous culture and immobilized cell systems show potential for enhancing probiotic performance.
- These novel technologies could overcome limitations of current production methods.
Conclusions:
- Advanced fermentation technologies are crucial for unlocking the full potential of probiotics.
- Exploring continuous culture and immobilized systems can lead to improved probiotic strains.
- Wider application and availability of effective probiotics can be achieved through technological innovation.
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