Abstract The aim of this work was to develop a capsule formation process at moderate temperatures with a high encapsulation yield (EY) of probiotic bacteria. Capsule precursors (CP) obtained by spray drying were rehydrated at 40~°C in aqueous solution to form water-insoluble hydrogel capsules. The CaCl2 concentration (0--2~mm) in the rehydration solution was varied. The rehydration step was evaluated regarding matrix stability and capsule size. The results show that only low amounts of non-aggregated casein remain in the rehydration media at or above 1.3~mm CaCl2. Additionally, under this condition the particle size distribution shows no particles with the size of non-aggregated caseins and bacteria. Both results indicate a completely, stable matrix structure. To gain a deeper understanding the 5EY6 and capsule morphology by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were assessed. The 5SEM6 images show that the bacterial cells are fully embedded in a dense casein network structure. The determined 5EY6 was $\sim$85{%}.
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