Next-generation viability testing of probiotics and postbiotics using flow cytometry and Digital PCR
About this poster
Accurate characterization of probiotics and postbiotics is critical for product efficacy and consistency — and traditional culture-based methods cannot capture the full picture, especially for postbiotics, which are heat-inactivated and non-culturable.
Flow cytometry distinguishes live, injured, and dead cells within about 15 minutes of rehydration, and enumerates non-culturable postbiotic cells by their structural integrity. Digital PCR (dPCR) complements it with absolute, strain-specific quantification inside complex, multi-strain formulations.
Together the two platforms provide a robust framework for optimizing product development, quality control, and shelf-life assurance — demonstrated here across single strains (HN001, LR32) and a 10-strain probiotic mix.
Highlights
- Live / injured / dead populations in ~15 minutes
- Enumerates non-culturable postbiotic cells
- Absolute strain-specific counts via Digital PCR
- Validated on a 10-strain probiotic mix