Spray dried microbes and methods of preparation and use

A method to prepare a whole recombinant yeast cell biocatalyst preparation, comprising:

• a) providing a whole recombinant yeast cell suspension which is up to 400 mg/mL;
• and
• b) spray drying the recombinant yeast cell suspension in the absence of a permeabilization agent at a temperature up to 150° C. effective to yield a spray-dried recombinant yeast cell preparation suitable for biocatalysis, wherein the spray-dried cells are porous but retain an enzyme active in the biocatalysis.