Comestible products, for example beverage products, are disclosed containing encapsulated probiotic bacteria having resistance to subjection to at least thermal and acidic conditions. Beverage products include at least one aqueous liquid and capsules comprising a gelled mixture of alginate and denatured whey protein, and probiotic bacteria entrapped within the gelled mixture. The average particle size of the capsules is less than 1000 microns (µm) in diameter, such as less than 500 µm in diameter. Methods are provided for making such encapsulated probiotics by providing a mixture comprising sodium alginate, denatured whey protein and active probiotic cells, and combining the mixture with a divalent cation to initiate cold gelation of the sodium alginate and denatured whey protein to form a second mixture. The second mixture is passed through an opening having a diameter of less than 1000 µm to form capsules. The weight ratio of whey protein to alginate is from 1:1 to 9:1.
