Survival of Freeze-dried Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus plantarum Related to Their Cellular Fatty Acids Composition during Storage

Lactic acid bacteria strains Lactobacillus plantarum CWBI-B534 and Leuconostoc ssp. mesenteroïdes (L. mesenteroïdes) Kenya MRog2 were produced in bioreactor, concentrated, with or without cryoprotectants. In general, viable population did not change significantly after freeze-drying (p>0.05). In most cases, viable population for cells added with cryoprotectants was significantly lower than those without (p<0.05). Cellular fatty acids (CFAs) from the two strains in this study were analyzed before and after freeze-drying. Six CFAs were identified, namely, palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and linolenic (C18:3) acids were identified. Four of them, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, and C18:1, make up more than 94% or 93% of the fatty acids in L. mesenteroides and L. plantarum, respectively, with another one, namely, C18:3, making a smaller (on average 5–6%, respectively) contribution. The C18:2 contributed very small percentages (on average≤1%) to the total in each strain. C16:0 had the highest proportion at most points relative to other fatty acids. Moisture content and water activity (a w) increased significantly during the storage period. It was observed that C16:1/C16:0, C18:0/C16:0 and C18:1/C16:0 ratios for freeze-dried L. mesenteroides or L. plantarum, with or without cryoprotectants, did not change significantly during the storage period. According to the packaging mode and storage temperatures, C18:2/C16:0 and C18:3/C16:0 ratios for freeze-dried L. mesenteroides and L. plantarum with or without cryoprotectants decreased as the storage time increased. However, a higher C18:2/C16:0 or C18:3/C16:0 ratio for L. mesenteroides and L. plantarum was noted in the freeze-dried powder held at 4 °C or under vacuum and in dark than at 20 °C or in the presence of oxygen and light