About 1.02 log reduction in viable cells was observed for alginate coated chitosan after 120 min in bile salt solution and about 0.7e0.9 log reduction for alginate/inulin coated chitosan cells as compared to 2.7e2.8 log reduction for alginate/inulin with different chain lengths (without coating), 3.9 log reduction for alginate encapsulated and 5.7 log for free cells (Table 2).