Differential effects of polymers PVP90 and Ficoll400 on storage stability and viability of Lactobacillus coryniformis Si3 freeze-dried in sucrose

To investigate the effect of freeze-dried Lactobacillus coryniformis Si3 on storage stability by adding polymers to sucrose-based formulations and to examine the relationship between amorphous matrix stability and cell viability. The resistance to moisture-induced sucrose crystallization and effects on the glass transition temperature (Tg) by the addition of polymers to the formulation were determined by different calorimetric techniques. Both polymers increased the amorphous matrix stability compared to the control, and poly(vinyl)pyrrolidone K90 was more effective in increasing amorphous stability than Ficoll 400. The viability of Lact. coryniformis Si3 after storage was investigated by plate counts following exposure to different moisture levels and temperatures for up to 3 months. The polymers enhanced the cellular viability to different degrees, dependent upon polymer and storage condition. Polymers can be used to enhance the stability of freeze-dried Lact. coryniformis Si3 products, but cell viability and matrix stability do not always correlate. The general rule of thumb to keep a highly amorphous product 50° below its Tg for overall stability seemed to apply for this type of bacterial products. We showed that by combining thermal analysis with plate counts, it was possible to determine storage conditions where cell viability and matrix stability were kept high. The results will aid in the rational formulation design and proper determination of storage conditions for freeze-dried and highly amorphous lactic acid bacteria formulations. We propose a hypothesis of reason for different stabilizing effects on the cells by the different polymers based on our findings and previous findings.