Role of carrier material in encapsulation of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) by spray drying

Yeast was encapsulated using different carrier materials and their combinations to explore the possible synergistic effect of carrier material during encapsulation using spray drying. Freeze-drying was performed for comparison. The dried cell powders were analyzed for the quality aspects (morphology, flowability, and storage stability). The best results were observed, with a combination of whey protein and corn starch (cell survival: 82.37% and yield: 56%, w/w) with a shelf life of 6 months (with only 10% reduction in cell survival). The survival was found to be 40% without any carrier material, which decreased to less than 25% within 4 weeks.