Formulationof Synbiotic Functional Foods for Effective Modulation of the Gut

Probiotic therapeutic efficacy depends on stability during storage. This thirty-day study evaluated freeze-dried Lactobacillus under three temperatures (4°C, 25°C, and 50°C) using various protective agents. Results indicate that survival rates are determined by the interaction between storage temperature and the specific cryoprotectant used.At 4°C, sucrose was the most effective, achieving a peak bacterial count of log 10.34 CFU/mL compared to log 8.26 for the control. However, sucrose efficacy dropped significantly at higher temperatures due to thermal instability and Maillard reactions.Conversely, at 50°C, the control group’s viability plummeted to log 0, while maltodextrin maintained a superior count of log 7.81 ± 0.24 CFU/mL. These findings suggest that while sucrose is an excellent cryoprotectant for refrigeration, maltodextrin is better suited for thermal stress. Selecting appropriate stabilizers is critical for maintaining probiotic viability in functional foods and nutraceuticals during extended shelf lives.