Fat-Coated Microbial Culture Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing dry microbial cultures, such as lactic acid bacteria, face challenges in maintaining viability and stability during storage at ambient temperatures, especially in humid environments, leading to significant losses in functional activity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of cryoprotectants and lyoprotectants with specific bulk densities, combined with fat coating and controlled water activity, to create a stable microencapsulated microbial culture that maintains viability for extended periods at ambient temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If dry microbial cultures are produced by freeze drying or spray drying, then concentrated form is obtained for extended storage, but cell viability degrades significantly upon storage at ambient temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding cryoprotectants and lyoprotectants to the microbial culture before drying, and by coating the dried culture with fat matrix. These protective measures are implemented in advance during the formulation stage to prevent viability loss during subsequent ambient temperature storage, directly addressing the contradiction between achieving concentrated form and maintaining cell viability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining microbial culture with cryoprotectants (such as maltodextrin, oligofructose, pectin, xanthan gum, OSA starch, sodium ascorbate), lyoprotectants, and fat matrix coatings. This composite formulation provides multiple layers of protection against environmental stresses during storage while maintaining the concentrated form of the microbial culture.
2Ease of manufacture
If combination of increased temperature and high humid environment is applied, then processing is facilitated, but loss of viability of dried microorganism increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the water activity (aw) of the microbial culture formulation to specific ranges (0.35-0.45) and by adjusting the composition and amount of cryoprotectants and lyoprotectants. These parameter optimizations create a formulation that resists viability loss even when stored under conditions of increased temperature and humidity, while still allowing for ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryoprotectants and lyoprotectants as intermediary substances that mediate between the microbial culture and the harsh environmental conditions of temperature and humidity. These intermediaries form protective matrices that shield the microorganisms from direct exposure to damaging environmental factors during storage.
3Reliability
If cryoprotectant is added before drying and fat coating is applied after drying, then protection against ambient humid environment is attempted, but only limited success is achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of cryoprotection, lyoprotection, and fat coating into an integrated formulation process. The cryoprotectants and lyoprotectants are combined with the microbial culture before drying, and the fat matrix coating is applied as part of the same formulation step, creating a unified protective system that achieves superior storage stability while reducing the complexity of separate process steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method significantly enhances the storage stability of microbial cultures, ensuring a log10 loss of less than 4 cfu/g over 12 weeks at ambient temperature, thereby improving the robustness and shelf life of dry microbial preparations.
Implementation Method 1
adding a protective compound to the concentrated cell mass to obtain a mixture; wherein the protective compound is a cryoprotectant and/or lyoprotectant
Implementation Method 2
adding a protective compound to the concentrated cell mass to obtain a mixture; wherein the protective compound is a cryoprotectant and/or lyoprotectant
Implementation Method 3
drying the mixture to obtain dried mixture
Implementation Method 4
drying the mixture to obtain dried mixture
Implementation Method 5
coating the powder
Implementation Method 6
coating the powder; wherein the coating is a fat coating
Implementation Method 7
encapsulation of microbial cultures to improve the robustness and stability upon storage
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to encapsulation of microbial cultures to improve the robustness and stability upon storage. In particular, the present invention relates to dry preparations of microbial cultures, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coated by a fat-matrix that increase survivability and mitigate post-acidification upon storage at ambient temperature for extended periods of time.