but also the ability of the strain to grow during latter storage. The latter is of particular importance not only because it modulates the shelf-life of the finished product (particularly in the case of modified atmosphere packaged products) but also because it significant impacts the potential of this technology as a viable route to probiotic inclusion in food materials. L. rhamnosus GG losses observed during the first day of storage were well correlated (r ¼ 0.855, p < 0.001)