Appropriate dilutions were transferred in triplicate to sterile Petri plates, followed by addition of MRS agar (Himedia). Plates were incubated at 37 °C for 72 h in anaerobic jars containing anaerobic generator (Oxoid). The dilution of the microparticles consisted in weighing 1 g of moist microparticles and 0.1g of freeze-dried microparticles, followed by the addition of 9 mL of sterile phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.5) according to the methodology described by Sheu, Marshall, and Heymann (1993).