Modified milk fat as encapsulating material for the probiotic microorganism Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3

The encapsulation strategy to improve the survival of probiotics for food application: From rough multicellular to single-cell surface engineering and microbial mediation

The application of probiotics is limited by the loss of survival due to food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal tract. Encapsulation is a key technology for overcoming these challenges. The review focuses on the latest progress in probiotic encapsulation since 2020, especially precision engineering on microbial surfaces and microbial-mediated role. Currently, the encapsulation materials include polysaccharides and proteins, followed by lipids, which is a traditional mainstream trend, while novel plant extracts and polyphenols are on the rise. Other natural materials and processing by-products are also involved. The encapsulation types are divided into rough multicellular encapsulation, precise single-cell encapsulation, and microbial-mediated encapsulation. Recent emerging techniques include cryomilling, 3D printing, spray-drying with a three-fluid coaxial nozzle, and microfluidic. Encapsulated probiotics applied in food is an upward trend in which "classic probiotic foods" (yogurt, cheese, butter, chocolate, etc.) are dominated, supplemented by "novel probiotic foods" (tea, peanut butter, and various dry-based foods). Future efforts mainly include the effect of novel encapsulation materials on probiotics in the gut, encapsulation strategy oriented by microbial enthusiasm and precise encapsulation, development of novel techniques that consider both cost and efficiency, and co-encapsulation of multiple strains. In conclusion, encapsulation provides a strong impetus for the food application of probiotics.

Effect of the molecular structure and mechanical properties of plant-based hydrogels in food systems to deliver probiotics: an updated review

Probiotic products' economic value and market popularity have grown over time as more people discover their health advantages and adopt healthier lifestyles. There is a significant societal and cultural interest in these products known as foods or medicines. Products containing probiotics that claim to provide health advantages must maintain a "minimum therapeutic" level (107-106 CFU/g) of bacteria during their entire shelf lives. Since probiotic bacteria are susceptible to degradation and reduction by physical and chemical conditions (including acidity, natural antimicrobial agents, nutrient contents, redox potential, temperature, water activity, the existence of other bacteria, and sensitivity to metabolites), the most challenging problem for a food manufacturer is ensuring probiotic cells' survival and stability enhancement throughout the manufacturing stage. Currently, the use of plant-based hydrogels for improved and targeted probiotic delivery has gained substantial attention as a potential approach to overcoming the mentioned restrictions. To achieve the best possible results from hydrogels, whether used as a coating for encapsulated probiotics (with the goal of stomach protection) or as carriers for direct encapsulation of live microorganisms should be applied kind of procedures that ensure high bacterial survival during hydrogels application. This paper summarizes polysaccharides, proteins, and lipid-based hydrogels as carriers of encapsulated probiotics in delivery systems, reviews their structures, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, studies their mechanical characteristics, and draws comparisons between them. The discussion then turns to how the criterion affects encapsulation, applications, and future possibilities.

Use of Highly Dispersed Silica in Biotechnology of Complex Probiotic Product Based on Bifidobacteria

Background. The probiotics immobilization technology is one of the most effective ways for controlled and continuous delivery of viable cells into the intestine. It is well known that multifaceted physiological roles of bifidobacteria are to normalize and stabilize the microbiocenosis, to form intestine colonization resistance, to synthesis amino acids, proteins and vitamins, to maintain non-specific resistance of the organism and so all. Such a wide range of positive effects on the macroorganism allows us to consider bifidobacteria as a basis for functional immobilized healthcare products development. Objective. Taxonomic position determination of the Bifidobacterium longum strain selected for immobilization, study of the viability of this bifidobacteria strain in a complex probionic product based on highly dispersed silica in simulated gastrointestinal tract's conditions and after freeze-drying. Methods. The production strain Bifidobacterium longum IMV B-7165 from the Institute of Food Resources of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine collection of industrial strains has been used in the study. It was isolated from the healthy human infant's gastrointestinal tract. Commonly used bioinformatics, microbiological, biotechnological and statistical methods have been applied. Results. The best alignments for the sequence of bifidobacteria isolate "4202" 16S rRNA (it was previously deposited as Bifidobacterium longum IMV B-7165) and classic dendrograms based on these results were performed. According to the results of microscopic studies of samples of microorganisms with highly dispersed silica products ("Enterosgel", "Sillard P" and "Toxin.Net") it was found that the immobilization of the Streptococcus thermophilus and bifidobacteria cultures did not differ fundamentally. To study the immobilization effect on the bifidobacteria preservation and properties the following carriers were used: "Enterosgel", "Toxin.NET" and "Sillard P". The survival of immobilized bifidobacteria was further studied in simulated gastrointestinal conditions: immobilized cells are better protected from acid and bile, although with increasing acidity, survival decreases in both control and immobilized cells. Conclusions. The taxonomic position of a bifidobacterial isolate from the healthy human infants used in immobilization studies was clarificated (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis). Under the simulated conditions of the upper gastrointestinal tract in the case of acid and bile impact, the best survival was demonstrated by immobilized cultures of bifidobacteria together with the Enterosgel sorbent (a content of 10% by weight of the culture). The survival of immobilized preparations after freeze-drying was slightly reduced in the case of immobilization on the "Enterosgel" and "Toxin.NET" samples of enterosorbents (a content from 15% to 25% by weight of the culture). The best results were observed in the case of immobilization of bifidobacteria with 5% content of the "Toxin.NET" enterosorbent (enterosgel + inulin).