The probiotic bread samples were microbiologically tested from 2 h after baking to 7 days storage in order to evaluate the retention of probiotic viability within the systems whilst exposed to the extrinsic (water vapour, oxygen, heat induced injuries) and intrinsic(osmotic stress and physical state changes due to bread staling) stresses that occur in typical storage conditions. As it can be seen in Fig. 5, the viability of the bacteria throughout the film drying step was significantly influenced only by the composition of the film forming solutions (p < 0.05).