Short communication: Effect of lactose on the spray drying of Lactococcus lactis in dairy matrices

The effects of unfavorable conditions responsible for the viability loss of Lactococcus cells during spray drying can be minimized by the application of dairy matrices as encapsulating materials. This study aimed to evaluate the use of dairy matrices with different lactose contents on the survival of Lactococcus lactis during drying and storage. The use of hydrolyzed-lactose milk resulted in notable loss of cell viability (3.90 log cycles). However, milk enriched with lactose or without fat showed better protection (viability loss between 0.26 and 1.41 log cfu/g) and greater cell survival during storage at room temperature. The enrichment of milk with lactose seems to be ideal for the drying of heat-sensitive bacteria.