Design and characterization of spray-dried microcarriers for preparation of functional wheybased beverages

Abstract

Starter cultures are essential components of fermented foods with the potential to enhance preservation, improve nutritional quality, and modify the sensory qualities of the products. The study characterized the microcarriers with the probiotic starter culture which could be used for the preparation of functional whey-based products. The culture was encapsulated using the spray-drying technique and implemented in the whey-based medium. The protective effect of alginate-whey carriers on the microencapsulated dairy starter culture (Lactoferm ABY 6) during the spray-drying, fermentation, and storage time were analyzed. The production yield, encapsulation efficiency, solubility, particle size, and moisture content were determined after the microencapsulation process. The SEM analysis was used for the characterization of powder and carrier surface morphology. The encapsulation efficiency and powder solubility were 75,8±0,09 % and 86,0±1,62 %, respectively. The cell viability in the powders and beverages was monitored for 28 days. The results showed that the microencapsulation process improved cell viability (> 9,08 log10CFU/mL) during the fermentation process. Moreover, microencapsulated probiotic cells have a higher survival rate in beverages in comparison with free cells in storage time. The application of this type of encapsulation technique showed potential regarding cell preservation in the production and storage of functional beverages.