The Drip by AQUALAB – Probiotics Unpacked: Stability, Water Activity, and Innovations with Subhendu Nayak

Subhendu Nayak is the Director of Formulation (Probiotics and Herbal) at Vida Herbs. He joins The Drip to talk about the complexities of manufacturing, from blending to storage, and the crucial role of water activity in maintaining probiotic potency. We'll also explore the nuances between CFU and AFU measurements and discuss innovative yet straightforward solutions. In this episode, you’ll hear about:Water activity in probioticsColony Forming Units (CFU) versus Active Fluorescent Units (AFU)Spore-forming, non-spore-forming, and next-generation typesManufacturing processes like blending, encapsulation, and packagingHow keeping solutions uncomplicated can lead to better success and innovationJump to:(03:39) How AW measures the vapor pressure ratio in foods.(08:01) Minimize water activity to prevent probiotic die-off.(10:12) Molecular sieves control water activity and maintain potency.(15:20) Preferred sugar alcohols for coolness.(17:34) Granular ingredients ensure better stick-pack sealing.(22:54) Water activity control in oil prevents decay.(25:39) Plate counting measures CFU per gram. (30:20) Viable but unculturable cell health benefits questioned.(32:41) The guest’s favorite artist and song(35:09) Featured artist and song(38:25) This episode’s MantraFeatured Artist and Song:Sometimes Somehow by Eric E.Links mentioned in this episode:Vidya HerbsOne Dance by Drake, music was chosen by SubhenduConnect with the showAQUALABZachary Cartwright, PhD