Coated dehydrated microorganisms with enhanced stability and viability

A method for coating a dehydrated microorganism, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) preparing a liquid coating composition comprising by dry weight at least 25% of hygroscopic salt(s), wherein said hygroscopic salt(s) has/have a MUR of at least 20% w/w at 25° C. at 75% RH after 7 days, and is selected from at least one hygroscopic salt from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate (K2HPO4), disodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous (Na2HPO4), sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6, sodium acetate anhydrous (CH3COONa), magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2), calcium bromide (CaBr), lithium bromide (LiBr), calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), lithium chloride (LiCl), phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10), disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate (Na2HPO4.2H2O), disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate (Na2HPO4.7HO2O), ammonium acetate (CH3COONH3), calcium acetate (CH3COO)2Ca, potassium acetate (CH3COOK), potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium formate (NaCHO2), potassium citrate monohydrate (K3C6H5O7.H2O), Sodium citrate pentahydrate (C6H5Na3O7.5H2O) and mixtures thereof, and
• (b) coating onto a dehydrated microorganism the liquid coating composition obtained after step (a) in order to obtain a coated dehydrated microorganism comprising a dehydrated microorganism surrounded by at least one coating, said coating comprising by dry weight at least 25% of the hygroscopic salt(s), wherein the microorganism is a bacteria, and wherein the pH of the coating is from 5.5 to 7.9 and wherein the coating improves the viability or the stability of the bacteria over the uncoated bacteria.

A method for protecting a dehydrated microorganism, said method comprising preparing a coated dehydrated microorganism by applying onto the dehydrated microorganism at least one liquid coating composition comprising by dry weight at least 25% of a hygroscopic salt or mixture of hygroscopic salts, wherein said hygroscopic salt(s) has/have a MUR of at least 20% w/w at 25° C. at 75% RH after 7 days and is selected from at least one hygroscopic salt from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate (K2HPO4), disodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous (Na2HPO4), sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6, sodium acetate anhydrous (CH3COONa), magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2), calcium bromide (CaBr), lithium bromide (LiBr), calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), lithium chloride (LiCl), phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10), disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate (Na2HPO4.2H2O), disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate (Na2HPO4.7H2O), ammonium acetate (CH3COONH3), calcium acetate (CH3COO)2Ca, potassium acetate (CH3COOK), potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium formate (NaCHO2), potassium citrate monohydrate (K3C6H5O7.H2O), Sodium citrate pentahydrate (C6H5Na3O7.5H2O) and mixtures thereof, wherein the microorganism is a bacteria, and wherein the pH of the coating is from 5.5 to 7.9 and wherein the coating improves the viability or the stability of the bacteria over the uncoated bacteria.

A coated dehydrated microorganism obtainable by a method comprising the steps of:

• (a) preparing a liquid coating composition comprising by dry weight at least 25% of hygroscopic salt(s), wherein said hygroscopic salt(s) has/have a MUR of at least 20% w/w at 25° C. at 75% RH after 7 days and is selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate (K2HPO4), disodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous (Na2HPO4), sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6, sodium acetate anhydrous (CH3COONa), magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2), calcium bromide (CaBr), lithium bromide (LiBr), calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), lithium chloride (LiCl), phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10), disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate (Na2HPO4.2H2O), disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate (Na2HPO4.7H2O), ammonium acetate (CH3COONH3), calcium acetate (CH3COO)2Ca, potassium acetate (CH3COOK), potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium formate (NaCHO2), potassium citrate monohydrate (K3C6H5O7.H2O), Sodium citrate pentahydrate (C6H5Na3O7.5H2O) and mixtures thereof, and
• (b) coating onto a dehydrated microorganism the liquid coating composition obtained after step (a), in order to obtain a coated dehydrated microorganism comprising a dehydrated microorganism surrounded by at least one coating, said coating comprising by dry weight at least 25% of the hygroscopic salt(s), wherein the microorganism is a bacteria, and wherein the pH of the coating is from 5.5 to 7.9, and wherein the coating improves the viability or the stability of the bacteria over the uncoated bacteria.