The present disclosure relates to a coated probiotic having enhanced acid tolerance, bile tolerance, gastrointestinal survivability, cold storage stability and room temperature storage stability by including milk-derived phospholipid and Aloe vera gel as a coating agent, a food composition containing the same, and a method for producing the same. As the coated probiotic includes the Aloe vera gel and the milk-derived phospholipid as the coating agent, it may have increased stabilities against external environmental stress, such as lyophilization stability and storage stability of the probiotic itself, and may have significantly enhanced acid tolerance and bile tolerance which are the indices of the gastrointestinal stability of the probiotic after taking.

According to embodiments, a modified freeze-drying apparatus and methods of use are provided herein for providing variable power heating for precise control of material temperatures during freeze-drying. The apparatus may provide a vacuum pump and variable current heater trays for receiving the material, freezing the material, creating a vacuum, progressively increasing the heater tray temperature without causing temperature cycling, deactivating the tray heater, repressurizing the apparatus, and removing the freeze-dried material.

According to embodiments, a modified freeze-drying apparatus and methods of use are provided herein for providing variable power heating for precise control of material temperatures during freeze-drying. The apparatus may provide a vacuum pump and variable current heater trays for receiving the material, freezing the material, creating a vacuum, progressively increasing the heater tray temperature without causing temperature cycling, deactivating the tray heater, repressurizing the apparatus, and removing the freeze-dried material.