The results showed that the B. bifidum F-35 remained above the therapeutic requirement (109 CFU g 1) up to
the 14th day in all of the treatments (free and encapsulated types), which might be related to the presence and
high oxygen utilisation ability of S. thermophilus, one of yogurt starter, that led to the removal of dissolved oxygen in the product and enhanced the viability of bifidobacterium at yogurt.