Method for extending the shelf-life of powdered nutritional formulations which contain viable probiotics
The invention involves a method for extending the shelf life of a powdered nutritional formulation that contains LGG by reducing and maintaining a threshold water activity or moisture content in the powdered LGG-containing formulation.
1 . A method for extending the shelf-life of an LGG-containing powdered nutritional formulation to at least 15 months, the method comprising reducing the water activity of the LGG-containing formulation to less than about 0.16 and maintaining the temperature of the formulation at or below 25° C.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the water activity is reduced to less than about 0.14.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the shelf-life of the LGG-containing formulation is extended to at least 18 months.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the shelf-life of the LGG-containing formulation is extended to at least 21 months.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nutritional formulation additionally comprises another probiotic organism.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the probiotic organism is selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and combinations thereof.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the LGG-containing formulation additionally comprises a prebiotic.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the prebiotic is selected from the group consisting of inulin, fructo-oligosaccharide, gluco-oligosaccharide, galacto-oligosaccharide, isomalto-oligosaccharide, xylo-oligosaccharide, polydextrose, and lactulose.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered nutritional formulation comprises a powdered nutritional supplement, a powdered milk, a powdered baby food, or a powdered infant formula.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein reducing the water activity of the LGG-containing formulation comprises one or more of the following steps:
a) providing a packaging structure to contain said LGG-containing formulation and incorporating a desiccant material into said packaging structure; or
b) blending the powdered nutritional formulation and the LGG in a blender and introducing a stream of a purging agent at the base of said blender; or
c) drying the individual components of the powdered nutritional formulation, drying the LGG, and dry-blending the components together.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said desiccant material is dehydrated metal aluminosilicate.
12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the purging agent is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
13 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising placing the powdered LGG nutritional formulation into a sterile container and sealing the container with a sterile closure in an atmosphere essentially free of microorganisms.
14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the container is flushed under aseptic conditions with a sterile inert gas before being sealed.
15 . A method for extending the shelf-life of an LGG-containing powdered nutritional formulation to at least 15 months, the method comprising reducing the moisture content of the LGG-containing formulation to less than about 2.3% and maintaining the temperature of the formulation at or below 25° C.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the moisture content is reduced to less than about 2.1%.
17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the shelf-life of the LGG-containing formulation is extended to at least 18 months.
18 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the shelf-life of the LGG-containing formulation is extended to at least 21 months.
19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein reducing the water activity of the LGG-containing formulation comprises one or more of the following steps:
a) providing a packaging structure to contain said LGG-containing formulation and incorporating a desiccant material into said packaging structure; or
b) blending the powdered nutritional formulation and the LGG in a blender and introducing a stream of a purging agent at the base of said blender; or
c) drying the individual components of the powdered nutritional formulation, drying the LGG, and dry-blending the components together.