Soft inclusions, such as capsules and other particulate admixtures are increasingly being used in cementitious materials for functional purposes (i.e. self-healing and self-sensing of concrete). Yet, their influence on the fracture behaviour of the material is sometimes overlooked and requires in-depth study for the optimization of mechanical and/or smart properties. An experimental investigation is presented herein on the role of bacteria-based lactate-derived particles on the fracture behaviour of cement paste in tensile configuration. These admixtures are currently used for the purpose of self-healing. Digital Image Correlation was used to obtain strain contours on the surface of the samples during the test.