Composition suitable for protecting microorganisms
A composition includes at least one carrier containing a polysaccharide, at least one antioxidant and at least one amino acid selected from cysteine, lysine, alanine and arginine. Such a composition can be used for protection of microorganisms during drying, storage and/or reconstitution. A culture powder, a process of making the culture powder, and products containing the culture powder are also disclosed.
1. A composition comprising a carrier material comprising a polysaccharide, the composition further comprising at least one antioxidant and at least one amino acid selected from the group consisting of (i) cysteine and alanine; (ii) cysteine, lysine, and alanine; (iii) lysine and arginine; (iv) cysteine and arginine; (v) cysteine, lysine, and arginine; (vi) lysine, alanine, and arginine; and (vii) cysteine, arginine, and alanine.
2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, dextrin, cyclodextrin, starch, an oligosaccharide and cellulose.
3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, coenzyme Q10, B-carotene, lycopene, vitamin A and a derivative thereof.
4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein a total of the at least one amino acid is 3.5 wt. % to 36.5 wt. % of the total dry weight of the composition.
5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein:
the carrier is 20-60 wt. %;
the at least one antioxidant is 13-50 wt. %;
any cysteine is no greater than 12 wt. %;
any lysine is no greater than 34 wt. %;
any arginine is no greater than 34 wt. %; and
any alanine is no greater than 34 wt. %;
all percentages defined by weight based on the total dry weight of the composition.
6. The composition according to claim 1 consisting essentially of the polysaccharide, the at least one antioxidant and the at least one amino acid.
7. A culture powder comprising live microorganisms and a matrix comprising the composition of claim 1 , wherein a dry weight ratio of the matrix to the live microorganisms is at least 1.
8. The culture powder according to claim 7 , wherein the live microorganisms are bacteria.
9. The culture powder according to claim 8 , wherein the bacteria is selected from the group consisting of bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, lactococci, enterococci, streptococci, Leuconostoc, Escherichia , propionibacteria, and combinations thereof.
10. A product comprising a culture powder according to claim 7 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of a nutritional composition, a food or beverage product, an animal feed product, a food supplement, a pharmaceutical composition and a cosmetic composition.
11. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein any lysine is 8 to 20% of the composition based on dry weight, any alanine is 8 to 20% of the composition based on dry weight, any arginine is 8 to 20% of the composition based on dry weight, and any cysteine is 2 to 10% of the composition based on dry weight.