Effect of encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum as probiotic on dry-sausages during chilled storage

The impact of free and encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum addition on the physicochemical and microbiological properties during chilled storage (60 days) of dry-fermented sausages have been studied. Control (C) treatment was performed without probiotic incorporation, and the reformulation was comprised of L. plantarum as free cells (F) in alginate spheres (EA), in water-in-oil simple emulsion (ESM) and in water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion (EDM). After 60 days of storage, lower (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation was observed in F and EA (0.602–0.625 mg MDA kg^?1) while it was higher (P < 0.05) in EDM (1.949 mg MDA kg^?1). Treatments C and ESM presented intermediate TBARS levels compared to other treatments at the end of storage. All dry-fermented sausages presented high levels of lactic acid bacteria during the whole chilled storage (8.06–9.29 log CFU g^?1 at day 0 and 8.02–9.35 log CFU g^?1); however, EA treatment presented the highest L. plantarum viability even at 60 days of storage (8.34 log CFU g^?1). Therefore, the strategy of L. plantarum inoculation in alginate spheres seems to be the best strategy for the delivery of probiotics during chilled storage of dry-fermented sausages.