Freeze-dried bacterial cell powder and method of producing the same

Abstract

A method of producing a freeze-dried bacterial cell powder wherein a suspension of bacterial cells suspended in a saccharides' solution, which includes a lactic acid bacterium and / or a bifidobacterium, is freeze-dried to obtain a freeze- dried bacterial cell powder, and wherein the saccharides are trehalose and sucrose, and the concentration of each of trehalose and sucrose in the suspension prior to freeze-drying is not less than 4.5% by weight. The freeze-dried bacterial cell powder is suitable for long-term storage and can be obtained by a simple and effective freeze-drying process.