Technology to increase the shelf life of probiotic products

The Department of Biotechnology’s Biotech Consortium India Limited is offering a licensing opportunity to suitable industrial partners for commercialization of novel probiotic, edible films/coatings with a higher shelf life.

Commercial probiotics are available in different forms from dried powder, sprays, and dietary supplements in liquid form to fortified curd, yogurt, and ice creams in the Indian market. However, the probiotic lactic acid bacteria show poor survival in such forms and often do not reach live into the human gut to give the best benefits.

Biotech Consortium India Limited has come out with an offer for commercialization of a new technique that promises to help prolong the shelf life of probiotics. The invention provides for encapsulation of probiotic strains with food grade edible strips and coatings of thin layered biopolymers made from milk proteins and plant-based waxy substances. The novel films/coatings have the potential to keep the probiotics active for a shelf life of one month stored at 4oC.

Proof of concept of the technology has been established in a lab setup, and in house lab validation has been completed. Looking at a USD $69.3 billion markets for probiotics by 2023, the technology has got huge market potential both in India and outside. The technology has wide applications and can be used for the production of dahi, yogurt, fruit coatings, bakery, and production of non-dairy products as well.