Increased Survival of Strains Subjected to Freeze-Drying after Cultivation in an Acid Medium: Involvement of Membrane Fluidity Cultivation in Acid Medium to Improve Bacterial Survival of Freeze-Drying.

Research Background: Freeze-drying is the most widely used dehydration process in the food industry for the stabilization of bacteria. Studies have shown the effectiveness of an acid prestress in increasing the resistance of lactic acid bacteria to freeze-drying. Adaptation of bacteria to an acid stress is based on maintaining the properties of the plasma membrane.

Design of a new lyoprotectant increasing freeze-dried Lactobacillus strain survival to long-term storage.

Background: Stabilization of freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria during long-term storage is challenging for the food industry. Water activity of the lyophilizates is clearly related to the water availability and maintaining a low a during storage allows to increase bacteria viability. The aim of this study was to achieve a low water activity after freeze-drying and subsequently during long-term storage through the design of a lyoprotectant.