PROBIOTIC STORAGE AND DELIVERY

Probiotic microorganisms are micro encapsulated by dispersing the probiotic microorganism in an aqueous suspension of a film forming protein and a carbohydrate; in an oil in water emulsion of a film forming protein and a carbohydrate and a fat; or in an oil which is subsequently dispersed in a film forming protein and a carbohydrate. The emulsion or suspension may be dried to form a powder. The probiotic may be dispersed in oil and then emulsified with the aqueous suspension and then dried to produce an encapsulated oil be dried to produce a powder. Oil suspended probiotics may be preferred where the probiotic is water sensitive. The preferred protein is casein or whey protein and the carbohydrate may be a resistant starch or a saccharide with a reducing sugar group. Where the probiotic is oxygen sensitive the protein carbohydrate is heated to create Maillard reaction products in the encapsulating film.