These compounds stabilize and improve the survival of bacteria of the Lactobacillus family during the manufacturing and storage of probiotic supplements. The global probiotics market will reach $77 billion by 2025. L. johnsonii can provide many benefits as a probiotic dietary supplement, such as improved immune function and better diabetes treatments. Manufacturers commonly use freeze-drying processes to prolong bacterial shelf life, but these also can damage the bacteria, reducing yields, and weakening the probiotic effect. Available compounds for improving bacteria’s endurance during freeze-drying have had limited effectiveness.
Researchers at the University of Florida have discovered an additive to stabilize bacteria during processing that increases survival, growth rates, and yield of L. johnsonii. This stabilizing compound improves the bacteria’s endurance during manufacturing processes such as freeze-drying better than commonly used compounds such as whey protein.
Probiotic manufacturing process that increases survival rate, yield, and shelf life of L. johnsonii
Lactobacillus bacteria grown with blueberry aqueous extract or freeze-dried using blueberry aqueous extract as a cryoprotectant have better survivability during the freeze-drying process and better growth rates under aerobic conditions. The bacteria’s growth during aerobic conditions is linked to the amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that it produces. The phenolic compounds in the blueberry extract increase radical scavenging activity, which decreases oxidative stress, and act as signaling molecules to regulate the bacteria’s production of H2O2. This improves the growth rate and survival rate of bacteria during industrial processes, including those common in the production of probiotic supplements.
