Method of enhancing the shelf stability of probiotics
View Patent ↗Described are methods of providing a shelf-stable probiotic-containing food or beverage, comprising forming a semi-permeable microsphere, said microsphere comprising a probiotic, a high molecular weight polymer, and an effective amount of bacteriostatic agent.
1. A method of producing a shelf-stable probiotic-containing food or beverage, comprising:
forming a semi-permeable microsphere comprising a probiotic, a high molecular weight polymer, and an effective amount of bacteriostatic agent,
introducing the microsphere into a relatively high humidity food or beverage, wherein said relatively high humidity food has a residual moisture level greater than 10% water, and
storing said food or beverage before consumption without refrigeration for at least 6 weeks.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probiotic experiences a reduction in population of 1 log cfu or less.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high molecular weight polymer is ethylcellulose.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high molecular weight polymer is alginate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere is in a beverage.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the beverage has a pH less than 5.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere is in a relatively high humidity food that has a residual moisture level greater than 20% water.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere is in a relatively high humidity food that has a water activity greater than 0.6.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relatively high humidity food includes pet food, snack foods, health bars, and non-cooked pre-packaged mixes.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere has a multilayer composition, provided the microsphere does not include a wax.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere has a particle size less than 500 microns.
12. A method of producing a shelf-stable probiotic-containing food or beverage, comprising:
producing a semi-permeable microsphere comprising a probiotic, a high molecular weight polymer, and an effective amount of bacteriostatic agent,
placing the microsphere into a relatively high humidity food or beverage, wherein said relatively high humidity food has a residual moisture level greater than 10% water, and
allowing water to enter the microsphere, wherein the probiotic experiences a reduction in population of 1.5 log cfu or less after storing said food or beverage for at least 6 weeks without refrigeration.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the the quantity of bacteriostatic agent is effective to yield a reduction in probiotic population of less than 1.5 log cfu between initial viability and viability after storing said food or beverage for at least 6 weeks without refrigeration.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the quantity of probiotic is about 1.76 to 75.99 weight percent, the quantity of polymer is about 1.54-50 weight percent, and the quantity of bacteriostatic agent is about 0.5 to 10.57 percent, based on the total weight of the semi-permeable microsphere.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the bacteriostatic agent is lauric acid, the polymer is ethylcellulose or alginate; and the probiotic is a Lactobacillus.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bacteriostatic agent is lauric acid in an amount of about 0.4 to about 12 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the microsphere.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the quantity of bacteriostatic agent is effective to yield a reduction in probiotic population of less than 1.5 log cfu between initial viability and viability after storing said food or beverage for at least 6 weeks without refrigeration.
18. The method of claim 12 wherein the quantity of probiotic is about 1.76 to 75.99 weight percent, the quantity of polymer is about 1.54-50 weight percent, and the quantity of bacteriostatic agent is about 0.5 to 10.57 percent, based on the total weight of the semi-permeable microsphere.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the bacteriostatic agent is lauric acid, the polymer is ethylcellulose or alginate; and the probiotic is a Lactobacillus.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bacteriostatic agent is lauric acid in an amount of about 0.4 to about 12 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the microsphere.