This study was financed in part by the Coordena&#231;&#227;o de Aperfei&#231;oamento de Pessoal de N&#237;vel Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. This study was also supported in part by FAPESP - S&#227;o Paulo Research Foundation. E.C.P.D.M. is grateful for a Researcher Fellowship from National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) 306330/2019-9.

1. Production of the probiotic cells
<ol>
	<li>Prepare De Man Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth.</li>
	<li>Reactivate 1% (v/v) of the culture of interest in the MRS broth (here, Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum FT-259 was used).</li>
	<li>Incubate for 24 h at an adequate temperature (we used 37 &#176;C).</li>
</ol>
2. Separate the bacteria from the culture
<ol>
	<li>Centrifuge the bacterial culture at 7,197 x g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C using 50 mL...

Optimizing Spray-Dried Probiotic Product Quality Through Process Development

<ol>
	<li>Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Probiotics+in+food:+Health+and+nutritional+properties+and+guidelines+for+evaluation.+FAO+Food+and+Nutrition+Paper+85.">Probiotics in food: Health and nutritional properties and guidelines for evaluation. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 85.</a> Food and Agricultural Organization. , (2006).</li><li>Sharma, R., Rashidinejad, A., Jafari, S. 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D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Producing+powders+containing+active+dry+probiotics+with+the+aid+of+spray+drying.">Producing powders containing active dry probiotics with the aid of spray drying.</a> Advances in Food and Nutrition Research. 85, 211-262 (2018).</li><li>Barbosa, J., Teixeira, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+probiotic+fruit+juice+powders+by+spray-drying:+A+review.">Development of probiotic fruit juice powders by spray-drying: A review.</a> Food Reviews International. 33 (4), 335-358 (2017).</li><li>Waterhouse, G. I. N., Sun-Waterhouse, D., Su, G., Zhao, H., Zhao, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spray-drying+of+antioxidant-rich+blueberry+waste+extracts;+Interplay+between+waste+pretreatments+and+spray-drying+process.">Spray-drying of antioxidant-rich blueberry waste extracts; Interplay between waste pretreatments and spray-drying process.</a> Food and Bioprocess Technology. 10 (6), 1074-1092 (2017).</li><li>Tulini, F. L., Winkelstr&#246;ter, L. K., De Martinis, E. C. 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D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+extent+and+mechanism+of+the+effect+of+protectant+material+in+the+production+of+active+lactic+acid+bacteria+powder+using+spray+drying:+A+review.">The extent and mechanism of the effect of protectant material in the production of active lactic acid bacteria powder using spray drying: A review.</a> Current Opinion in Food Science. 44, 100807 (2022).</li><li>Broeckx, G., Vandenheuvel, D., Claes, I. J. J., Lebeer, S., Kiekens, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drying+techniques+of+probiotic+bacteria+as+an+important+step+towards+the+development+of+novel+pharmabiotics.">Drying techniques of probiotic bacteria as an important step towards the development of novel pharmabiotics.</a> International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 505 (1-2), 303-318 (2016).</li><li>Zheng, X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+mechanisms+of+the+protective+effects+of+reconstituted+skim+milk+during+convective+droplet+drying+of+lactic+acid+bacteria.">The mechanisms of the protective effects of reconstituted skim milk during convective droplet drying of lactic acid bacteria.</a> Food Research International. 76, 478-488 (2015).</li><li>Kolida, S., Tuohy, K., Gibson, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prebiotic+effects+of+inulin+and+oligofructose.">Prebiotic effects of inulin and oligofructose.</a> British Journal of Nutrition. 87 (S2), S193-S197 (2002).</li><li>Teferra, T. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Possible+actions+of+inulin+as+prebiotic+polysaccharide:+A+review.">Possible actions of inulin as prebiotic polysaccharide: A review.</a> Food Frontiers. 2 (4), 407-416 (2021).</li><li>Labuza, T. P., Altunakar, B., Barbosa-Canovas, G. V., Fontana, A. J., Schmidt, S. J., Labuza, T. 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N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Emerging+technologies+and+coating+materials+for+improved+probiotication+in+food+products:+A+review.">Emerging technologies and coating materials for improved probiotication in food products: A review.</a> Food and BioprocessTechnology. 15 (5), 998-1039 (2022).</li><li>Martins, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Determination+of+ideal+water+activity+and+powder+temperature+after+spray+drying+to+reduce+Lactococcus+lactis+cell+viability+loss.">Determination of ideal water activity and powder temperature after spray drying to reduce Lactococcus lactis cell viability loss.</a> Journal of Dairy Science. 102 (7), 6013-6022 (2019).</li><li>Vock, S., Kl&#246;den, B., Kirchner, A., Wei&#223;g&#228;rber, T., Kieback, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Powders+for+powder+bed+fusion:+A+review.">Powders for powder bed fusion: A review.</a> Progress in Additive Manufacturing. 4, 383-397 (2019).</li></ol>

L. paraplantarum FT-259 is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, is a producer of bacteriocins with antilisterial activity, and has high probiotic potential20. Son et al.24 previously demonstrated the immunostimulant and antioxidant capacity of L. paraplantarum strains. Besides, they have great probiotic potential, with properties such as stability under artificial gastric and bile conditions, susceptibility to antibiotics, and binding to intestinal cells...

To be defined as probiotics, microorganisms added to foods (or supplements) have to be consumed alive, be able to survive during passage in the gastrointestinal tract of the host, and reach the site of action in adequate amounts to exert beneficial effects1,2,7.
The growing interest in probiotics is due to the several benefits to human health they confer, such as the stimulation of the immune system, the reduction of serum cholesterol levels, and the enhancement of gut barrier function by acting against harmful microbes, as well as their beneficial effects in the treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome, among others2,3. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that probiotics can positively affect other parts of the human body where unbalanced microbial communities can cause infectious diseases3,4,5.
For probiotics to be therapeutically effective, the product should contain between 106-107 CFU/g of bacteria at the time of consumption6. On the other hand, the Italian Ministry of Health and Health Canada have established that the minimum level of probiotics in food should be 109 CFU/g of viable cells per day or per serving, respectively7. Considering high loads of probiotics are needed to guarantee they will have beneficial effects, it is essential to guarantee their survival during processing, shelf storage, and passage through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Several studies have demonstrated that microencapsulation is an effective method to improve the overall viability of probiotics8,9,10,11.
In this context, several methods have been developed for the microencapsulation of probiotics, such as spray-drying, freeze-drying, spray-chilling, emulsion, extrusion, coacervation, and, more recently, fluidized beds11,12,13,14. Microencapsulation by spray-drying (SD) is widely used in the food industry because it is a simple, fast, and reproducible process. It is easy to scale up, and it has a high production yield at low energy requirements11,12,13,14. Nonetheless, the exposure to high temperatures and low moisture content can affect the survival and viability of the probiotic cells15. Both parameters can be improved for a given strain by determining the effects of culture age and conditions to pre-adapt the culture and optimize the spray-drying conditions (inlet and outlet temperatures, atomization process) and the encapsulating composition8,14,16,17,18.
The composition of the encapsulating solution is also an important factor during SD as it can define the level of protection against adverse environmental conditions. Inulin, Arabic gum, maltodextrins, and skim milk are widely used as encapsulating agents for probiotic drying5,17,18,19. Inulin is a fructooligosaccharide that presents a strong prebiotic activity and promotes intestinal health19. Skim milk is very effective in maintaining the viability of dried bacterial cells and generates a powder with good reconstitution properties17.
Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum FT-259 is a lactic acid bacterium that produces bacteriocin and presents antilisterial activity, besides probiotic traits20,21. It is a facultative heterofermentative rod-shaped Gram-positive bacterium that grows from 15 &#176;C to 37 &#176;C20 and is compatible with the homeostatic body temperature. This study aimed to present all the steps involved in the production and physicochemical characterization of a spray-dried probiotic (L. paraplantarum FT-259) and evaluate the influence of the protectants and drying temperatures.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Aqua Lab 4TEV</td>
			<td>Decagon Devices</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Water activity meter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge (mod. 5430 R )</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Centrifuge</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Colloidal SiO2 (Aerosil 200)</td>
			<td>Evokik</td>
			<td>7631-86-9</td>
			<td>drying aid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fructooligosaccharides from chicory</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>9005-80-5</td>
			<td>drying aid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GraphPad Prism (version 8.0) software</td>
			<td>GraphPad Software</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>San Diego, California, USA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Karl Fischer 870 Titrino Plus</td>
			<td>Metrohm</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Moisture content</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lactose</td>
			<td>Milkaut</td>
			<td>63-42-3&#160;</td>
			<td>drying aid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Maltodextrin</td>
			<td>Ingredion</td>
			<td>9050-36-6</td>
			<td>drying aid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Milli-Q</td>
			<td>Merk</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Ultrapure water system</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MRS Agar</td>
			<td>Oxoid</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Culture medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MRS Broth</td>
			<td>Oxoid</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Culture medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>OriginPro (version 9.0) software</td>
			<td>OriginLab</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Northampton, Massachusetts, USA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spray dryer SD-05</td>
			<td>Lab-Plant Ltd</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Spray dryer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Whey protein</td>
			<td>Arla Foods Ingredients S.A.</td>
			<td>91082-88-1</td>
			<td>drying aid</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
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process development for the spray-drying of probiotic bacteria and evaluation of the product quality

Probiotics and prebiotics are of great interest to the food and pharmaceutical industries due to their health benefits. Probiotics are live bacteria that can confer beneficial effects on human and animal wellbeing, while prebiotics are types of nutrients that feed the beneficial gut bacteria. Powder probiotics have gained popularity due to the ease and practicality of their ingestion and incorporation into the diet as a food supplement. However, the drying process interferes with cell viability since high temperatures inactivate probiotic bacteria. In this context, this study aimed to present all the steps involved in the production and physicochemical characterization of a spray-dried probiotic and evaluate the influence of the protectants (simulated skim milk and inulin:maltodextrin association) and drying temperatures in increasing the powder yield and cell viability. The results showed that the simulated skim milk promoted higher probiotic viability at 80 &#176;C. With this protectant, the probiotic viability, moisture content, and water activity (Aw) reduce as long as the inlet temperature increases. The probiotics&#39; viability decreases conversely with the drying temperature.&#160;At temperatures close to 120 &#176;C, the dried probiotic showed viability around 90%, a moisture content of 4.6% w/w, and an Aw of 0.26; values adequate to guarantee product stability. In this context, spray-drying temperatures above 120 &#176;C are required to ensure the microbial cells&#39; viability and shelf-life in the powdered preparation and survival during food processing and storage.

Author Spotlight: Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality  

Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality

In our laboratory, we do research on beneficial microbes, including probiotics, which are live microorganisms that can be added to food to improve the health of consumers, Usually by competing with pathogenic bacteria in the gut to exclude them and relieve symptoms, like diarrhea or other gastrointestinal disorders. Nowadays, many techniques have been applied to guarantee that the probiotics will survive in food during the shelf life. And also, they needed to tolerate the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract to exert their beneficial effects inside the gut.We studied many technologies that can enhance the survival of probiotics, either in food or in the human host. Among the techniques, microencapsulation by spray drying is of great interest because it's simple, fast, and reproducible, providing high yields at low energy requirements. It's challenging, however, to determine the right conditions to obtain dried probiotics.And for that, suitable protectants must be chosen. Skim milk, maltodextrin, or other like probiotic inulin have been used with different probiotic strains. The area of microencapsulation is a happily evolving field of research that has the potential to impact the food industry by providing new products to be used as functional ingredients.In this study, we demonstrate how to obtain a microencapsulated preparation of a potential probiotic culture using the spray drying technique. We also show how to determine the main parameters to characterize the powder, obtain it, and how to evaluate the survival rate of the probiotic.

In this study, L. paraplantarum was encapsulated by SD using food-grade encapsulating agents (inulin:maltodextrin and simulated milk powder), showing high product quality and efficacy in preserving the bacterial cell viability17,19.
The results of the SD of probiotics at 80 &#176;C showed that the distinct protectants systems (inulin:maltodextrin and simulated skim milk) promoted efficient protection of the probiotic cells, wi...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality at JoVE.com

This protocol details the steps involved in the production and physicochemical characterization of a spray-dried probiotic product.

Probiotics and prebiotics are of great interest to the food and pharmaceutical industries due to their health benefits. Probiotics are live bacteria that ...

process-development-for-spray-drying-probiotic-bacteria-evaluation