Physical characteristics of effervescent tablet probiotics in various concentration of tapioca coatings

Abstract

RICA (Research Institute for Coastal Aquaculture) Maros in South Sulawesi has developed 5 probiotic preparations, namely RICA-1, RICA-2, Rica-3, RICA-4 and RICA-5 in liquid form to improve shrimp farming in ponds. In practice, the use of liquid probiotics has been very optimal but the distribution is constrained because of its liquid form. For this reason, microencapsulation of liquid probiotics is carried out to protect from the external environment and maintain the viability of probiotic cells in the encapsulated matrix. The purpose of this study was to determine the physical properties of probiotic effervescent tablets using tapioca coating with different concentration variants (10 and 20%) with four effervescent tablet formulas. The results showed that the pH of the probiotic effervescent tablet Formula 3 with a coating concentration of 10% tapioca had a neutral pH compared to all existing formulas. However, the pH for probiotic effervescent tablets produced by all formulas can still be applied to shrimp ponds. Formula 4 with 10% tapioca coating has a mean weight and hardness that is close to the standard as well as a disintegration time that meets the specified standard of tablet physical properties. Meanwhile, the tablet friability value was met by Formula 3 with a concentration of 10% tapioca coating. It can be concluded that the best formula that meets the standard physical properties of tablets is Formula 4 with 10% tapioca coating. The probiotic effervescent tablet with tapioca coating has a weakness in the hardness value which causes the average weight to be not uniform. These results indicate that tapioca coating is not suitable for use as a coating for probiotic effervescent tablets.