YOGHURT WITH ENCAPSULATED PROBIOTICS

A study was carried out to microencapsulate four different probiotic cultures viz., Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidiobacterium lactis and preparation of yoghurt with these microencapsulated cultures. Microencapsualtion was done in two different methods (extrusion and emulsion) by using two different wall materials viz., alginate+starch, alginate+gelatin+starch. Probiotic count of encapsulated treated yoghurt significantly higher with control yoghurt (P<0.05) in every week interval of storage period. In control yoghurt at 21 days of storage, lactobacillus survived four log units and bifidobacterium survived six log units. Extrusion method of encapsulation using alginate (2.0 % w/v) +gelatin (2.0 % w/v) +starch (0.5 w/v) as wall materials provides maximum viability (9 log units) for probiotics in yoghurt throughout the storage period of 21 days.