In the present research the survival of free and microencapsulated cells of a new strain of Lactobacillus plantarum BL011 under stress conditions was tested in sodium alginate or pectin coated with sodium alginate or chitosan Results for the simulated gastrointestinal medium (SGT) showed no change in viability of cells in relation to the control However the simulated gastric medium (GM) drastically reduced the viability under the tested conditions with no significant differences between free and immobilized cells Under refrigerated storage viability of immobilized cells were greatly enhanced compared to the free microorganisms and the treatments showing the lowest loss of viability were those of 4% (w/v) pectin 3% (w/v) sodium alginate coated with chitosan and a mixture of 2% (w/v) sodium alginate and 2% (w/v) pectin respectively Loss of viability of immobilized L plantarum in 3% alginate coated with chitosan in yogurt was of 055 log cycles during 38 days of storage The results of this study suggest the efficiency of immobilization techniques to increase the survival of lactobacilli in yogurt under refrigerated storage (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved