Co-microencapsulation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and krill oil by spray-drying

Co-microcapsules were prepared through spray drying of double emulsions of L. rhamnosus and krill oil, using whey protein as wall material. At all tested drying process temperatures, viability of the microcapsules and comicrocapsules above 1 x 1010 CFU/mL was achieved. The main phospholipid detected in the co-microcapsules were phosphatidylethanolamine. The fatty acids profile of the co-microcapsules revealed a low content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The survivability of L. rhamnosus was evaluated during the storage of the co-microcapsules at different temperatures (4 and 25 degrees C) and relative humidities (10-93%). It was found that increasing the storage temperature decreases the range of water activity in which the viability of the probiotic remains stable in the comicrocapsules. The co-microencapsulates developed provide omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics with less impact on its functional properties.