Abstract
ABSTRACT: This study produced pectin microcapsules containing Lactobacillus acidophilus by external ionic gelation, followed by the adsorption of whey protein and pectin to form multilayers. The viability of free and microencapsulated lactobacilli was evaluated after in vitro exposure to gastrointestinal conditions. They were also assessed by heat treatment, and stability was examined at -18 °C, 5 °C and 25 °C for 120 days. Exposure to different pHs, simulating passage through the gastrointestinal tract, showed that treatment of the microcapsules with only pectin (LA/P0) and with one and two layers of whey protein (treatments LA/P1 and LA/P3, respectively), were able to protect Lactobacillus acidophilus , with microcapsules increasing the release of probiotics from the stomach into the intestines. Free cells showed a decrease in their counts over the course of the simulated gastrointestinal system. Regarding heat treatments, microcapsules with a layer of whey protein (LA/P1) maintained the viability of their encapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus (9.57 log CFU/g-1). The best storage viability was at -18 °C, with a count of 7.86 log CFU/g-1at 120 days for microcapsule LA/P1,with those consisting of two layers of whey protein (LA/P3)having a 6.55 log CFU/g-1 at 105 days. This study indicated that external ionic gelation was effective and could be used for the production of pectin microcapsules, with multilayer whey protein promoting greater protection and viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Highlights
The term probiotic has undergone some changes in its concept, and today, it is defined as living microorganisms that confer benefit to the health of the host when administered in adequate amounts (WORLD GASTROENTEROLOGY ORGANISATION, 2011)
LA/P1, LA/P2 and LA/P3 treatments had particle compositions, whey protein concentrate and pectin concentration in different proportions, hat promoted a reduction in encapsulation efficiency
CHEN et al (2017) observed a reduction in encapsulation efficiency when using multilayer microcapsules to encapsulate Bifidobacterium bifidum BB01, whereas GEBARA et al (2013) obtained satisfactory encapsulation results above 80% when producing pectin microcapsules coated with whey protein concentrate
Summary
The term probiotic has undergone some changes in its concept, and today, it is defined as living microorganisms that confer benefit to the health of the host when administered in adequate amounts (WORLD GASTROENTEROLOGY ORGANISATION, 2011). Studies reported that the survival of free probiotic cells in food is low (DE VOS et al, 2010), and they require a physical barrier, resistant to the adverse conditions in the gastrointestinal environment (KAILASAPATHY, 2009). Electrostatic interactions occur between biopolymers loaded with opposite charges (KRASAEKOOPT et al, 2004). Many natural polymers have been studied, such as pectin, a raw material that can be obtained commercially or extracted from citrus industry waste. Pectin can form complexes with other polymers, due to its load balance, which is positive at high pHs and negative at low pHs. As a result, pectin has been associated with other polymers, and evaluated as a coating material by the pharmaceutical and food industries. Because of its functional characteristics, pectin is considered to be a prebiotic
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