Patent ID: 8617537

Claim:
A method for producing freeze-dried Lactobacillus reuteri cells having reuterin retained inside the cells, comprising: growing cells of a Lactobacillus reuteri in a fermentation step; adding a priming substance selected from the group consisting of glycerol and 1,2-propanediol to the cells of the Lactobacillus reuteri at the start of the fermentation step so that the Lactobacillus reuteri cells form microcompartments and produce reuterin therein; adding glycerol at the end of the fermentation step to the Lactobacillus reuteri cells to further produce reuterin by the Lactobacillus reuteri cells; freeze-drying the cells of the Lactobacillus reuteri containing microcompartments and reuterin in the cells; and storing the freeze-dried culture of Lactobacillus reuteri cells; wherein the microcompartments enable the reuterin to be retained inside the freeze-dried cells of Lactobacillus reuteri during storage in an amount greater than in cells lacking microcompartments.