Lipid encapsulated probiotic compositions

A method of manufacturing a probiotic composition comprising microbes and a barrier material comprising the steps of:

• i. milling a freeze-dried microbes solution, forming milled microbes;
• ii. dispersing the milled microbes within a liquid, thereby forming a suspension;
• iii. homogenizing the suspension of microbes within a liquid matrix;
• iv. atomizing the homogenized liquid matrix;
• v. air-cooling the atomized liquid matrix, forming cooled compositions;
• vi. collecting the cooled compositions;
• vii. coating the collected cooled compositions forming coated compositions;
• and
• viii. drying the coated compositions.

A probiotic composition comprising microbes and one or more barrier materials, wherein the one or more barrier materials comprise, on a dry weight basis:

• about 1% to about 99% (w/w) lipid;
• and
• about 0% to about 98% (w/w) of:
• a carbohydrate;
• a protein;
• a polymer;
• or
• combinations thereof,

A method for enumerating microbes in probiotic compositions comprising a step of:

• i. weighing 2 portions of formulated probiotic compositions;
• ii. adding the first portion of formulated probiotic compositions to a warmed, stirred oil bath;
• iii. sequentially adding emulsifier and amenable salt solution to the aforementioned stirring oil bath:
• iv. serially diluting an aliquot of the aforementioned emulsion;
• v. performing spread plate enumeration on the aforementioned dilutions;
• vi. adding the second portion of formulated probiotic compositions directly to an aqueous salt solution;
• vii. mixing the aforementioned aqueous suspension salt and formulated probiotic compositions;
• viii. serially diluting the aforementioned aqueous solution;
• and
• ix. performing spread plate enumeration on the aforementioned dilutions.

An extrudate comprising:

• about 85% (w/w) plant oil;
• about 10% (w/w) excipient component;
• and
• about 5% (w/w) probiotic bacteria.