Storage stable frozen lactic acid bacteria culture

Abstract

A storage stable frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture that comprises LAB that are that are able to utilize sucrose, has a weight of at least 50 g frozen material and a content of viable bacteria of at least 10 9 colony forming units (CFU) per g frozen material.

1 . A frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture that comprises LAB that are able to utilize sucrose and is a mixed mesophilic culture consisting of mesophilic bacteria having optimum growth temperatures at about 30° C., has a weight of at least 50 g frozen material and a content of viable bacteria of at least 10 9  colony forming units (CFU) per g frozen material and characterized in that the frozen culture comprises from 0.5% to 80% of a cryoprotective agent measured as w/w of the frozen material.  
     
     
         2 . The frozen culture of  claim 1 , wherein the culture is a LD-culture that comprises  Lactococcus lactis  subsp.  lactis, Lactococcus lactis  subsp.  cremoris, Lactococcus lactis  subsp.  lactis  biovar.  diacetylactis  and  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  subsp.  cremoris.    
     
     
         3 . The frozen culture of  claim 1 , wherein the culture is a culture comprising thermophilic  Lactobacillus acidophilus.    
     
     
         4 . The frozen culture of  claim 1 , wherein the cryoprotective agent is a carbohydrate, preferably a disaccharide.  
     
     
         5 . The frozen culture of  claim 4 , wherein the disaccharide is trehalose or sucrose.  
     
     
         6 . The frozen culture of  claim 4 , wherein the cryoprotective agent is a mixture of a disaccharide, preferably sucrose, and a polysaccharide, preferably maltodextrine.  
     
     
         7 . A method for making a frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture that comprises LAB that are able to utilize sucrose, has a weight of at least 50 g frozen material and a content of viable bacteria of at least 10 9  colony forming units (CFU) per g frozen material comprising following steps: 
 (i) adding a cryoprotective agent to viable bacteria to get at least 50 g of material with a content of viable bacteria of at least 10 9  colony forming units (CFU) per g material and comprising the cryoprotective agent in an amount from 0.5% to 80% measured as w/w of the material,    (ii) freezing the material to get frozen material, and    (iii) packing the frozen material in a suitable way.    
     
     
         8 . A frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture obtainable by the method for making a frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         9 . Use of the frozen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture of  claim 1   9  in a process for making a food or feed product.  
     
     
         10 . A commercially viable, highly concentrated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture adapted to be frozen, the culture comprising: 
 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of at least 1×10 9  colony forming units (CFU) per gram of culture; and,    a cryoprotective agent; wherein the cryoprotective agent is 0.5% to 80% (w/w) of the culture;    wherein the culture has a weight of at least 50 grams; and,    wherein the LAB are adapted to utilize sucrose; and are mesophilic having optimum growth temperatures of about 30° C.    
     
     
         11 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the LAB are one of pure or mixed.  
     
     
         12 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the LAB includes a  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  subsp.  cremoris.    
     
     
         13 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the culture is one of an L-culture and an LD-culture.  
     
     
         14 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the LAB are mesophilic having optimum growth temperatures of about 30° C.  
     
     
         15 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the LAB includes a thermophilic  Lactobacillus acidophilus.    
     
     
         16 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the LAB includes a thermophilic  Streptococcus thermophilus.    
     
     
         17 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the cryoprotective agent is one or more of a carbohydrate, a disaccharide, a polysaccharide, trehalose, sucrose or maltodextrin.  
     
     
         18 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the cryoprotective agent is a mixture of one of a disaccharide and sucrose, with one of a polysaccharide and maltodextrin.  
     
     
         19 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the cryoprotective agent includes one of a sterile 50% (w/w) sucrose solution and a sterile 40% (w/w) trehalose solution.  
     
     
         20 . A culture according to  claim 10 , wherein the cryoprotective agent is selected from proteins, protein hydrolysates and amino acids.