Do probiotics need to be refrigerated
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Do Probiotics Need to Be Refrigerated?
Importance of Refrigeration for Probiotic Viability
Refrigeration plays a crucial role in maintaining the viability of probiotics in various food products. Studies have shown that the survival rate of probiotic microorganisms can significantly vary depending on the storage temperature. For instance, in a study on ABY probiotic yogurt, it was found that storing the yogurt at 2°C resulted in the highest viability for Lactobacillus acidophilus, while Bifidobacterium lactis showed better survival at 8°C . This indicates that lower temperatures generally help in preserving the viability of certain probiotic strains.
Probiotic Survival in Fermented Milk
The survival of probiotics in fermented milk products also benefits from refrigeration. Research involving Lactiplantibacillus pentosus ABHEAU-05 in fermented milk demonstrated that the probiotic maintained a high concentration of viable cells (108 CFU/mL) throughout a 21-day refrigerated storage period at 4°C . This suggests that refrigeration not only preserves the viability but also supports the metabolic activity of probiotics in fermented milk.
Non-Dairy Probiotic Products
Refrigeration is equally important for non-dairy probiotic products. A study on cornelian cherry juice revealed that low pH and phenolic compounds negatively affected the viability of probiotics during refrigerated storage, especially for industrial strains . This highlights the necessity of maintaining cold storage conditions to ensure the survival of probiotics in non-dairy matrices.
Microencapsulation for Non-Refrigerated Storage
While refrigeration is generally beneficial, advancements in microencapsulation technology have shown promise in extending the shelf-life of probiotics under non-refrigerated conditions. Encapsulated probiotic cells produced through spray drying were able to maintain a viable count of no less than 109 CFU/cps for up to 12 months at room temperature . This innovative approach provides an alternative for storing probiotics without refrigeration, although it is not yet widely adopted.
Packaging and Probiotic Viability
The type of packaging can also influence the effectiveness of refrigeration in maintaining probiotic viability. In a study on clarified apple juice supplemented with Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei, it was found that glass packaging was more effective than plastic in preserving the viability of probiotics during refrigerated storage at 4°C for 28 days . This suggests that both refrigeration and appropriate packaging are essential for optimal probiotic preservation.
Conclusion
In summary, refrigeration is generally necessary to maintain the viability and effectiveness of probiotics in both dairy and non-dairy products. While innovative techniques like microencapsulation offer potential for non-refrigerated storage, they are not yet mainstream. Therefore, for most probiotic products, especially those in liquid or semi-solid forms, refrigeration remains the best practice to ensure their health benefits.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic