Effect of Spray Drying Encapsulation of Thermotolerant Lactic Acid Bacteria on Meat Batters Properties

Four thermotolerant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were spray dry encapsulated with Acacia gum and inoculated in cooked meat batters. Physicochemical properties (total moisture content, expressible moisture, and cooking stability), pH and acidity, CIE-Lab color, and texture profile analysis were performed at 1 and 8 days of storage at 4 °C. LAB and Enterobacteria counts were determined at 1, 4, and 8 days of storage. Control treatment was inoculated with the same unencapsulated strains as free cells. Total moisture, water activity, and fat release significantly (p?<?0.05) increased in spray drying inoculated samples, with no change in expressible moisture. No significantly (p?>?0.05) difference in pH and acidity were detected between encapsulated LAB and free cells inoculation. Inoculation of spray dry bacteria significantly (p?<?0.05) decreased samples luminosity and redness, with no change in yellowness. In TPA, hardness and springiness had no significantly (p?>?0.05) change due to inoculation type, but cohesiveness decreased in encapsulated samples. Inoculation of spray-dried LAB enhanced initial LAB count with a concomitant Enterobacteria reduction. These results suggest that the spray drying encapsulation is an effective way to protect thermotolerant lactic bacteria. These capsules can be inoculated in cooked emulsified meat products in order to ensure their survival before, during, and after processing. Thermotolerant LAB could be employed as bioprotective cultures to improve microbial safety in cooked meat products since the Enterobacteria counts were diminished during storage, enhancing the nutritional values with no major detrimental effect on textural or physicochemical properties of these kinds of foodstuffs.