Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM using polymerized whey proteins as wall material

Survivability of probiotics in foods is essential for developing functional food containing probiotics. We investigated polymerized whey protein (PWP)-based microencapsulation process which is developed for protecting probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and compared with the method using sodium alginate (SA). The entrapment rate was 89.3 ± 4.8% using PWP, while it was 73.2 ± 1.4% for SA. The microencapsulated NCFM by PWP and SA were separately subjected to digestion juices and post-fermentation storage of fermented cows' and goats' milk using the encapsulated culture. The log viable count of NCFM in PWP-based microencapsulation was 4.56, compared with that of 4.26 in SA-based ones and 3.13 for free culture. Compared with using SA as wall material, PWP was more effective in protecting probiotic. Microencapsulation of L. acidophilus NCFM using PWP as wall material can be exploited in the development of fermented dairy products with better survivability of probiotic organism.