Encapsulation of probiotic bacteria in pectin and pectin-chitosan matrices for use in confectionery products

Abstract

Probiotics are live bacteria that benefit the host's health when administered in adequate quantities. However, their use may be limited due to a decrease in cell viability during production, product storage, and subsequent passage through the gastrointestinal tract. This work theoretically substantiates the use of a combined method of microcapsule formation – immobilization of probiotics into a gel and microencapsulation, which will protect microorganisms from the effects of technological and physiological factors, regulate their targeted delivery and controlled release from microcapsules at the site of deployment. Suitable carriers for coating the capsules were selected, which is crucial for ensuring adequate protection of probiotics since their properties determine the effectiveness of protecting microorganisms from harmful environmental factors and the ability to release them in the lower gastrointestinal tract. In the course of the research, microcapsules with pectin and pectin-chitosan matrices containing bifidobacteria Bifidobacterium bifidum-1 and lactobacilli Lactobacillus acidophilus Ep-317/402 were developed. The possibilities and feasibility of using the developed microcapsules with different matrices to protect cells from adverse gastrointestinal tract conditions in vitro were substantiated. The results showed that the survival rate of microencapsulated bifidobacteria in the gastric juice medium was 87 % in both matrices, in bile – in pectin 82 %, and pectin-chitosan 92 %. Survival of lactobacilli: in gastric juice – 89 % in the pectin matrix, 93 % in the pectin-chitosan matrix, in bile – 94 and 88 %, respectively. The obtained pectin and pectin-chitosan microcapsules can potentially be used as a means of delivering viable probiotic microorganisms to their location – the human large intestine and can be used in confectionery technology as ingredients to provide.