Development of inhalation powders containing lactic acid bacteria with antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

•Novel pulmonary product of acid lactic bacteria as supportive treatment in the management of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in lung infection.•Optimization by DoE of probiotic inhalation powders with high viability of lactobacilli and in vitro respirability.•Adhesion capacity and safety of lactobacilli powders on A549 and Calu-3 pulmonary cell lines.•Lpb. plantarum inhalation powder showed a bactericidal activity against three strains of P. aeruginosa with different virulence. The aim of the project was the development and characterization of powders containing a probiotic (Lpb. plantarum, Lcb. rhamnosus or L. acidophilus) to be administered to the lung for the containment of pathogens growth in patients with cystic fibrosis. The optimized spray drying process for the powder manufacturing was able to preserve viability of the bacteria which decreased of only one Log unit and it was maintained up to 30 days. Probiotic powders showed a high respirability (42-50% of particles had a size