CIRCULAR ECONOMY: IMMOBILIZATION OF LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS ON FLAXSEED CAKE

<p><em>Lactobacillus acidophilus</em> has been increasingly studied as a probiotic for allergy treatment. For probiotics to deliver their beneficial effects, they need to be present in adequate numbers, which is often achieved by immobilizing them within protective matrices. A flaxseed cake is rich in fibers, proteins, and bioactive components, which makes it a potential good carrier for probiotics.</p> <p>Flaxseed cake, obtained from the cold-pressed oils industry, was ground, sieved to a diameter of less than 600µm, sterilized, and diluted in distilled water at 10 % (w/v). After <em>L. acidophilus</em> inoculation, one sample was fermented, incubated at 4 °C for 1 h, frozen, and freeze-dried, while the other was subjected to every step but fermentation. The lyophilized probiotic powder was examined for probiotic viability and antioxidant capacity.<em> </em></p> <p>The probiotic culture showed a high survival rate in both samples. The fermentation decreased probiotic viability during the lyophilization procedure by 13 % but significantly increased the antioxidant activity of probiotic powder. The results indicate that flaxseed cake is a good probiotic carrier.</p>