Effect of drying on the viability of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum Lab9 (CPQBA 144‐09 DRM 03) impregnated in the feed for tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)

Drying experiments were conducted at different temperatures and air flux velocities to determine the proper drying conditions for reducing moisture in commercial fish feed impregnated with probiotic lactic acid bacteria and to assess the effect on bacteria viability over time. At temperatures of 45°C, the drying time was shorter, without the air flux velocity under study having a relevant influence. The drying conditions influenced the viability of the bacteria in the feed; the least loss of viability was obtained with a velocity of 0.8 m s−1 and a temperature of 45°C during 15 min. Using these drying conditions, 5 kg of feed was dried and stored for a month at temperature of 26°C and relative humidity of 75%. The viability of the bacteria and the moisture of the feed were measured every 3 days during the storage period. Loss of viability followed first order kinetics, with a constant k of 0.112 days−1. Thus, the viability of the bacteria in the feed is less than 106 CFU g−1 after 43 days.