Preferential localization of Lactococcus lactis cells entrapped in a caseinate/alginate phase separated system.

International audience; This study aimed to entrap bioprotective lactic acid bacteria in a sodium caseinate/sodium alginate aqueous two-phase system. Phase diagram at pH = 7 showed that sodium alginate and sodium caseinate were not miscible when their concentrations exceeded 1% (w/w) and 6% (w/w), respectively. The stability of the caseinate/alginate two-phase system was also checked at pH values of 6.0 and 5.5. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LAB3 cells were added in a 4% (w/w) caseinate/1.5% (w/w) alginate two-phase system at pH = 7. Fluorescence microscopy allowed to observe that the caseinate-rich phase formed droplets dispersed in a continuous alginate-rich phase. The distribution of …