Does Acidophilus Need to be Refrigerated?

A reader asks, "Once acidophilus is opened and refrigerated, will it still be effective if I take it on a seven hour plane ride and it is stored at room temperature?"

For those of you who are unfamiliar with acidophilus, it's a type of beneficial bacteria found naturally in the body but also available as dietary supplements and in foods such as yogurt and acidophilus milk.

Most acidophilus pills require refrigeration to preserve the number of live, active bacteria in the product. Improper storage is one factor that can cause a loss of bacteria.

For your trip, although there may be some loss of live bacteria, storing acidophilus at room temperature for one day or less should not cause a significant enough drop in the number of live bacteria that the product becomes ineffective. Find out my 4 additional tips on traveling with acidophilus by reading the full answer: Does Acidophilus Need to be Refrigerated?

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