Dry food product containing live probiotic

• US 8,460,726 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionutrition Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionutrition Corporation
• Inventors: Harel, Moti, Bennett, Alicia
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarazano, D Lawrence
• Assistant Examiner(s): Badr, Hamid R
• Application Number:
  US12/519,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20100074994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 426/61
• US Class Current: 426/61
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/18 of live microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/00 Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/147 Polymeric derivatives, e.g. peptides or proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/163 Sugars; Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/30 by encapsulating; by coating
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/42 Dry feed
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/80 for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/40 by drying or kilning; Subsequent reconstitution
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/135 Bacteria or derivatives thereof, e.g. probiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 10/22 Agglomeration or granulation with pulverisation of solid particles, e.g. in a free-falling curtain
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/11 Coating with compositions containing a majority of oils, fats, mono/diglycerides, fatty acids, mineral oils, waxes or paraffins
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/3204 Probiotics, living bacteria to be ingested for action in the digestive tract
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1578 Calcium
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/50 Polysaccharides, gums
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5026 Alginate
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/54 Proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5428 Egg protein
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5488 Soybean protein
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/60 : Sugars, e.g. mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-saccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/636 : Trehalose
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2300/10 : Drying, dehydrating
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2400/175 : Rhamnosus
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2400/531 : Lactis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/10 : Laxatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/12 : Antidiarrhoeals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/06 : Antihyperlipidemics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 : Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 33/00 : Antiparasitic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 : Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/02 : Immunomodulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/818 : Alternative feeds for fish, e.g. in aquacultures

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a probiotic delivery system that can be consumed as a snack-food or added to a food product. In particular, the disclosure describes a crisp and tasty treat that comprises viable probiotic microorganisms preserved in a vacuum dried matrix of sugars, proteins, and polysaccharides. The probiotic remain viable within the treat for a longer time without the need for additional moisture barrier coating. The probiotic also remain viable in the animal gastrointestinal tract.

Claims

1. A method of making probiotic substance, food product or feed substance, the method comprising:

a) mixing a preparation of probiotic micro-organisms with at least one sugar, at least one protein, at least one polysaccharide and optionally additional functional ingredients to obtain a smooth and uniform slurry, and optionally adding a crosslinking chemical to form a gel in a desired shape and form; and

b) vacuum drying the slurry or the gel to a water activity below 0.2, wherein the vacuum drying comprises;

setting the temperature of the probiotic substance above its freezing temperature; and

vacuum drying at reduced pressure of about 5000 mTorr at a shelf temperature of from 5-50°

C. and then gradually decreasing the pressure, as the temperature of the probiotic substance increases, down to a pressure of about 100 mTorr while maintaining the shelf temperature from 5-50°

C.;

wherein the at least one sugar comprises trehalose, the at least one polysaccharide comprises an alginate, and the at least one protein comprises egg white, soy protein isolate, soy protein hydrolysate or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the slurry is not cross-linked before drying.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the slurry is cross-linked before drying.