Prebiotic Score Research Articles

Viability and stability evaluation of microencapsulated Lactobacillus reuteri in polysaccharide-based bionanocomposite

Microencapsulation is one of the most important methods to enhance the survival of bacteria when exposed to various harsh conditions. The present study evaluated the viability of L. reuteri ATCC 23272 microencapsulated in polysaccharide-based bionanocomposite. Inulin, polydextrose, and pectin were utilized as prebiotics, and magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) as reinforcing agent in the microgel structure. The composition of bionanocomposite was optimized using the simplex-lattice mixture method. Bionanocomposite optimal formulation was achieved by combining 91.6 % inulin and 8.4 % pectin in the presence of MgO NPs. L. reuteri prebiotic score (1.33) and E. coli (1.08), extrusion efficiency (97.57 %), viability after drying (99.37 %), and viability in simulated gastrointestinal conditions (SGI) (91.74 %) were obtained. Not using MgO NPs in the optimal composite structure caused a decrease of 2.14 log CFU/g in SGI. During 28 days of storage of bacteria at 4 and 25 °C, respectively, a reduction of 2.56 and 3.04 log CFU/g was observed for free cells compared to encapsulated cells. SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses were performed on ingredients and microcapsules with and without bacteria. The results exhibited that the optimal bionanocomposite could be used as a beneficial encapsulation system to improve the performance of probiotics in harsh conditions.

Formulation of prebiotic, low glycemic index millet soups using foxtail, barnyard and kodo millet

Optimization of foxtail, barnyard, and kodo millet, was carried out to formulate millet soup mix by adopting a mixture design. The physico chemical parameters such as pH, Total Soluble Solids (TSS), viscosity, color values (L*, a*, b*), quality characteristics such as soluble, insoluble total fiber, reducing sugar, total phenolic content, and various sensory parameters such as appearance, colour, aroma, taste, and overall acceptability were recorded to assess the effect of selected above three millets on the reconstituted millet soups. Optimization was done and a polynomial model was developed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) relating to total fiber, antioxidant activity, prebiotic activity score, glycemic index and overall acceptability of the millet soups. Results revealed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) observed in the in the pH, TSS, viscosity among ten variations of millet soups. Similar statistical significance (p < 0.05) was noticed in the colour values. Quality characters such as reducing sugar, insoluble, and soluble dietary fiber values were also found to be different between the ten millet soup variations. Highest value of total phenolic content was recorded in MS6 variation with 7.5 gm of barnyard and 7.5 gm kodo millet flour in the millet soup. The overlay plots were used to attain the optimum formulation for the millet soups related to total dietary fiber, antioxidant activity, prebiotic score, glycemic index and overall acceptability which created the yellow region based on the optimized value. The results revealed that the optimum values for the predicted responses were 5.65 g, 24.96%, 0.36, 41.85, 7.65 for the total dietary fiber, antioxidant activity, prebiotic score, glycemic index and overall acceptability, respectively, which was attained from the optimum mixture of 2.14 gm foxtail millet flour, 5.76 gm barnyard millet flour, and 7.11 gm kodo millet flour. From the results the optimized millet soup can be categorized as low glycemic soup (GI < 55) with good prebiotic activity.

Evaluation of synbiotic combinations of commercial probiotic strains with different prebiotics in in vitro and ex vivo human gut microcosm model.

Exploring probiotics for their crosstalk with the host microbiome through the fermentation of non-digestible dietary fibers (prebiotics) for their potential metabolic end-products, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), is important for understanding the endogenous host-gut microbe interaction. This study was aimed at a systematic comparison of commercially available probiotics to understand their synergistic role with specific prebiotics in SCFAs production both in vitro and in the ex vivo gut microcosm model. Probiotic strains isolated from pharmacy products including Lactobacillus sporogenes (strain not labeled), Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC53103), Streptococcus faecalis (T-110 JPC), Bacillus mesentericus (TO-AJPC), Bacillus clausii (SIN) and Saccharomyces boulardii (CNCM I-745) were assessed for their probiotic traits including survival, antibiotic susceptibility, and antibacterial activity against pathogenic strains. Our results showed that the microorganisms under study had strain-specific abilities to persist in human gastrointestinal conditions and varied anti-infective efficacy and antibiotic susceptibility. The probiotic strains displayed variation in the utilization of six different prebiotic substrates for their growth under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Their prebiotic scores (PS) revealed which were the most suitable prebiotic carbohydrates for the growth of each strain and suggested xylooligosaccharide (XOS) was the poorest utilized among all. HPLC analysis revealed a versatile pattern of SCFAs produced as end-products of prebiotic fermentation by the strains which was influenced by growth conditions. Selected synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) combinations showing high PS and high total SCFAs production were tested in an ex vivo human gut microcosm model. Interestingly, significantly higher butyrate and propionate production was found only when synbiotics were applied as against when individual probiotic or prebiotics were applied alone. qRT-PCR analysis with specific primers showed that there was a significant increase in the abundance of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria with synbiotic blends compared to pre-, or probiotics alone. In conclusion, this work presents findings to suggest prebiotic combinations with different well-established probiotic strains that may be useful for developing effective synbiotic blends.

Extraction of chitin-glucan complex from shiitake (Lentinula edodes) fruiting bodies using natural deep eutectic solvents and its prebiotic potential

Chitin-glucan complex (CGC) is an emerging novel prebiotic with numerous physiological activities in amelioration of clinical manifestations. In the present work, natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), ultrasonication, and submerged fermentation using probiotic microorganisms were deployed for the extraction of CGC from Shiitake fruiting bodies. CGC obtained through non-ultrasonication assisted fermentation employing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum exhibited maximum polysaccharide yield (27.86 ± 0.82 % w/w). However, based on antioxidant potential, NADES combination of urea: glycerol (1:1 M ratio) was selected for further characterization. The rheological behavior of CGC under optimized conditions showed shear thinning property in both 0.1 M NaCl and salt-free solution. FTIR, 1H-(1D), and 2D 1H1H Homonuclear NMR spectra displayed distinctive patterns associated with β-glycosidic linkage and β-d-glucopyranose sugar moiety. XRD profiles of CGC exhibited characteristic peaks at 2θ = 23°, 25°, and 28° with corresponding hkl values of (220), (101), and (130) lattice planes, respectively. Enhanced radical scavenging activities were noticed due to the triple helical structure and anionic nature of CGC. CGC exhibited potential prebiotic activity (prebiotic score 118–134 %) and short chain fatty acids liberation (maximum 9.99 ± 0.41 mM by Lactobacillus delbrueckii). Simulated static in-vitro digestion demonstrated that CGC withstands acidic environment of gastric phase, which indicated its suitability for use as a prebiotic in nutraceutical-enriched food products.

Structural characteristics and functional properties of a fucose containing prebiotic exopolysaccharide from Bifidobacterium breve NCIM 5671.

To evaluate the structure and functions of capsular exopolysaccharide (CPS) from Bifidobacterium breve NCIM 5671. A CPS produced by the probiotic bacteria B. breve NCIM 5671 was isolated and subjected to characterization through GC analysis, which indicated the presence of rhamnose, fucose, galactose, and glucose in a molar ratio of 3:1:5:3. The average molecular weight of the CPS was determined to be ∼8.5×105 Da. Further, NMR analysis revealed the probable CPS structure to be composed of major branched tetra- and penta-saccharide units alternately repeating and having both α- and β-configuration sugar residues. CPS displayed an encouraging prebiotic score for some of the studied probiotic bacteria. Compared to standard inulin, CPS showed better resistance to digestibility against human GI tract in vitro. DPPH, total antioxidant, and ferric reducing assays carried out for CPS displayed decent antioxidant activity too. This study indicates that the CPS from B. breve NCIM 5671 has the potential to be utilized as a prebiotic food supplement. It is a high-molecular-weight (∼8.5×105 Da) capsular heteropolysaccharide containing rhamnose, fucose, galactose, and glucose.

Structural analysis of a water insoluble polysaccharide from pearl millet and evaluating its prebiotic activity

Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse correlation between dietary intake of prebiotics and the risk of chronic diseases. Pearl millet is a potential economic source to develop a new class of prebiotics in the form of its polysaccharide. In the present study, the chemical structure of a water insoluble homopolysaccharide (PMG), and its prebiotic properties were investigated. The structure of PMG was elucidated on the basis of total hydrolysis, methylation analysis, and 1D/2D NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT-135, HSQC, DQF-COSY, NOESY and ROESY) experiments. The results indicated that PMG was a glucan with an average molecular weight ~ 361 kDa having a backbone of (1 → 3) α-d-glucopyranosyl residues. Hydrolysis of PMG by salivary and pancreatic α amylase was 1.75 % ± 0.34 and 1.99 % ± 0.18 respectively. A positive prebiotic score of PMG with both L. acidophilus and L. brevis (0.446 ± 0.031 & 0.427 ± 0.016) hints towards its prebiotic potential. These observations suggest that PMG might be used as a potential prebiotic component in the food and pharmaceutical applications.

Hydrogel formulation based on galactomannan from residual spent coffee ground confers bioactivities and viscosifying properties in milkshake

The defatted residual spent coffee (RSC) was used for optimal recovery of 67.11% galactomannans by extraction using 1:10 w/v RSC:water at 80 °C/180 min followed by precipitation using 90% v/w ethanol. The obtained galactomannans (RSCGa) (MW- 274.67 kDa) showed antioxidant and prebiotic activity. A 3:5 ratio of RSCGa and kappa-carrageenan (кC) was used to prepare hydrogels (RSCGa-кC*) with CaCl2 (0.02 M) at 75 °C/pH 7.2. RSCGa improved the dynamic moduli of RSCGa-кC* (G′, 8300 Pa and G″, 7800 Pa) compared to кC hydrogel. RSCGa-кC* showed DPPH, ABTS•+ and FRAP activities of 553.23 μg AAE/mg sample, 615.30 μg AAE/mg sample, and 13.98 μM FeSO4/mg sample, respectively, and prebiotic score of 30.89. The LCMS profiling of RSCGa-кC*, alike RSCGa, showed abundant phenolics. Adding 7.5% w/v of RSCGa-кC* in milkshake showed a desirable viscosity and good overall acceptability apart from the antioxidant and prebiotic activities. The present study outlines a sustainable approach for valorising RSC by developing a hydrogel that had dual functionality of technological and nutraceutical advantages which enhanced the quality of milkshake.

Bioactivity evaluation of microbial exopolysaccharide and its use as an encapsulating agent for Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA-3)

Microbial exopolysaccharides present bioactive and technological characteristics of interest to the food and pharmaceutical industries. This study aimed to evaluate the bioactivity of the exopolysaccharide - EPS-LN60 - obtained from L. plantarum DF60Mi and its use as an encapsulating agent for Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-3. The prebiotic score, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity in human tumor and non-tumor cells were determined. Solutions of 0% (F0), 0.5% (F1), and 1.0% (F2) of EPS were used as a coating for alginate capsules containing LA-3, which were evaluated for morphology, survival of LA-3 during refrigerated storage and after exposure to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. EPS-LN60 had a higher prebiotic capacity (1.45 ± 0.17) compared to the fructooligosaccharide (0.24 ± 0.05) and an antioxidant activity of 1862 ± 23.08 μM FeSO4/g. Furthermore, EPS-LN60 inhibited tumor cell growth by 36%±2.78%. The capsules coated with EPS-LN60 were spherical, uniform, and efficient toward LA-3 survival (85%) after 20 days of storage. F0 did not have viable cells after 10 days. EPS-LN60 provided additional protection to the capsule, preventing loss of viability during gastrointestinal simulation conditions, resulting in survival rates greater than 86%, which was not observed in F0 when submitted to the same conditions. Therefore, the potential of EPS-LN60 was demonstrated in terms of its bioactivity and its use as an encapsulating agent for L. acidophilus LA-3, with the possibility of future exploitation as a functional ingredient by the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Effect of aqueous moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf extract as a prebiotic on growth of the whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931 (Decapoda, Penaeidae)

Abstract This study evaluated the potential of the aqueous moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf extract (ME) as a prebiotic and its effect on the growth performance of the whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931. The growth trial of probiotics in the broth containing ME showed that Lactobacillus acidophilus growth rate was significantly higher () than that of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus reuteri. Furthermore, L. acidophilus exhibited also better growth () than Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi in the broth containing ME. The minimum inhibitory concentration of ME (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were the same against V. alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. harveyi at concentrations of 10, 7.5, and 7.5 mg/ml, respectively. By contrast, ME’s MIC and MBC against L. acidophilus were 50 and &gt;100 mg/ml, respectively. The prebiotic scores of L. acidophilus against V. parahaemolyticus and V. harveyi were significantly higher () than that against V. alginolyticus. The MIC, MBC, and prebiotic scores indicated that ME enhanced the growth of L. acidophilus more than that of Vibrio bacteria. Six diets were formulated for the feeding trial; 3 diets contained ME at 0 (ME0), 2.5 (ME2.5) and 5.0 g/kg (ME5.0), respectively, and the same 3 diets were also prepared with L. acidophilus (ME0 + P, ME2.5 + P, and ME5.0 + P, respectively). After the feeding trial, the number of lactic acid bacteria in the gut was higher () in the ME2.5 + P group than in the control and ME2.5 groups, but no differences were found in the vibrio-like bacterial count among the treatments. The ME2.5 + P group had a higher () final weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate than did the ME or L. acidophilus alone and the control groups. Therefore, ME exhibits a prebiotic function and exerts a symbiotic effect with L. acidophilus, thus increasing the growth performance of P. vannamei.

Characterization of pearl millet oligosaccharides and evaluation of their prebiotic potential

In the present study pearl millet oligosaccharides (PMOs) were extracted at optimized process parameters and further purified by passing through charcoal column and dialysis membrane (500 Da) to obtain a purity >90% with a yield of 4.6% (w/w). The molecular weights of the mixed oligosaccharides (342, 504, 667, 829, 991, 1153, 1316 Da) were confirmed by MALDI-TOF. The non-digestibility assay was performed by acid hydrolysis, salivary and pancreatic α amylases. The results showed a maximum hydrolysis of 0.2516% ± 0.0173, 2.8% ± 0.023 and 3.1% ± 0.11 by gastric acid, salivary and pancreatic α-amylases respectively. A positive prebiotic score, enhanced biofilm formation and capability of producing SCFAs (i.e. acetate, propionate and butyrate) by different strains of lactobacilli in presence of purified oligosaccharides hints towards their prebiotic potential. From the observations we propose that the PMOs can be explored further as nutraceuticals and functional food additives.

Fucose-containing Abroma augusta mucilage hydrogel as a potential probiotic carrier with prebiotic function

The mucilaginous polysaccharide from Abroma augusta stem was examined for its physicochemical, thermal, and functional behavior and explored as a carrier for probiotic bacteria. Composed of glucose, galactose, rhamnose, galactouronic acid and fucose, Abroma augusta mucilage (AAM) exhibited shear thinning behavior (following power law equation) and gel like characteristic (showing higher G′ value than G″ value). AAM promoted the growth of probiotic strains with positive prebiotic scores of 0.5 ± 0.06 and 0.51 ± 0.05 for Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei, respectively. Further, probiotic strains were embedded in the AAM matrix followed by freeze-drying with embedding efficiency of >95%. Viscoelastic properties were retained substantially in the rehydrated probiotic-embedded matrix. AAM could protect probiotic bacteria in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, at elevated (80 °C, 20 min) and at low (4 °C, 4 months) temperatures ensuring higher viabilities of embedded probiotic cells. Our findings established potential carrier capabilities of AAM polysaccharides for probiotic bacteria with thickening and prebiotic activity.

Screening utilization of different natural prebiotic extracts by probiotic Lactobacillus sp. for development of synbiotic for aquaculture uses

The study is aimed to develop a relevant synbiotic to promote growth performance of the whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. For this, four common natural fiber extracts from Arcera banana, Siamese banana, yellow sweet potato, and white sweet potato were screened for supporting the growth of Lactobacillus sp. which was isolated from whiteleg shrimp intestines with probiotic activity, prebiotic score, and ability to induce bacterial enzyme activities of protease, leu-aminopeptidase, and a-amylase. Results showed that Lactobacillus sp. was able to utilize all extracts from banana and sweet potato as the sole carbon sources. At 24 hours of culture, the growth of Lactobacillus sp. was highest after adding the extract from white sweet potato as the sole carbon source. Considering pathogenic bacteria, including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, white sweet potato extract had the highest prebiotic score with a mean of 0.25 as compared with those of V. harveyi with a mean of 0.16. White sweet potato extract induced the highest activities of protease. These results indicated that white sweet potato extract was more suitable for combining with Lactobacillus sp. as a synbiotic for shrimp culture.

Preliminary evaluation of potential prebiotic capacity of selected legumes and seed mucilage on the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

The characterization of the prebiotic potential of legumes and mucilage are essential and crucial for the development of symbiotic food products. The aim of the present study was to compare and to determine the prebiotic capacity of selected legumes, namely adzuki bean, mung bean, black cowpea, and mucilages from chia seed and flaxseed on the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Resistance towards acid, pancreatin hydrolysis, and the prebiotic scores of the tested substances was determined based on growth promotion after 24 h of incubation. Results revealed that flaxseed mucilage was more resistant against hydrolysis by acid (1.47%) and pancreatin (2.64%) compared to the other samples (5.64 – 18.06% for acid and 10.34 – 15.57% for pancreatin). The relative prebiotic scores for flaxseed mucilage and black cowpea were 98% and 94%, respectively, which were higher than commercial prebiotics including inulin, fructooligosaccharides, and isomaltooligosaccharides. The optimum concentrations of flaxseed mucilage and black cowpea during 36 h of fermentation were 0.8% and 0.4% (w/v), respectively. The findings indicated that flaxseed mucilage was partially digested during gastrointestinal transit and it promotes the growth of the L. rhamnosus GG. The potential prebiotic capacity of flaxseed mucilage and its symbiotic relationship with L. rhamnosus GG suggests that they can be incorporated together for the development of functional foods.

Characterization, prebiotic and immune-enhancing activities of rhamnogalacturonan-I-rich polysaccharide fraction from molokhia leaves

Plant-derived polysaccharides possess potential health benefits that improve intestinal health and the immune system. Molokhia leaves have a large amount of mucilage polysaccharide; in the present study, crude polysaccharide extract was prepared from molokhia leaves. The molecular weight of molokhia leaf polysaccharide fraction (MPF) was estimated to be 51.2 × 103 Da. Polysaccharide was methylated and the structure of MPF was mainly composed of rhamnogalacturonan-I structure with side chains, such as galactans and linear glucan (starch), as shown by GC–MS analysis. To study the biofunctional effects of MPF, its prebiotic and intestinal immune-enhancing activities were assayed in vitro. MPF exhibited good prebiotic activity, as shown by its high prebiotic scores, and increased contents of total short-chain fatty acids on five probiotic strains. In addition, MPF showed immune-enhancing activity on Peyer's patches, as revealed by the high bone marrow cell proliferating activity and production of immunoglobulin A and cytokines. These results demonstrate that MPF may be a potential beneficial prebiotic and intestinal immune-enhancer, which may have wide implications in the food industry.

Development of a microencapsulated synbiotic product and its application in yoghurt

The effect of ten commercial prebiotics on the growth ability of four Lactobacillus strains was studied to develop a synbiotic product. The prebiotic score was calculated to assess the capability of prebiotics that stimulated the growth of Lactobacillus compared to potential pathogens. Although both galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) and lactitol (LAC) could enhance growth, LAC had a highest prebiotic score value for four Lactobacillus strains. Survival of encapsulated synbiotics forming by Lactobacillus casei 30–1 and LAC in simulated gastrointestinal condition was evaluated. 15 g l−1 LAC provided effective protection with 72.62% encapsulation efficiency and a 3.65 logs reduction. The microcapsules were then added into yoghurt and the result showed that there was an increased survival of probiotics due to the protection of cells by microencapsulation and the promoting effect of LAC on the probiotics growth. However, yoghurt with synbiotic microcapsules showed a reduced quality compared to controls over the storage period. This study had shown that microencapsulation and addition of LAC help to enhance the survival of probiotic stains in yoghurts during storage, but had a negative relationship between the improvement of yoghurt quality and the addition of synbiotic microcapsules.

Dietary fiber from Indian edible seaweeds and its in-vitro prebiotic effect on the gut microbiota

In the present study, the proximal composition of selected Indian seaweeds such as S. wightii, E. compressa, A. spicifera and their polysaccharide extraction by various enzymes (pancreatin, cellulase and pepsin) was carried out along with its detailed characterisation. In addition, their antioxidant activity and prebiotic score was evaluated with L. plantarum and S. typhimurium. SCFA composition was analyzed by liquid chromatography. Dietary fiber was found to be maximum in E. compressa (60.64 ± 2.2%). The polysaccharide obtained by combined enzyme assisted extraction exhibited higher antioxidant activity. E. compressa (1.44) exhibited the highest prebiotic activity score, followed by S. wightii (1.42) and A. spicifera (0.84). Plantaricins of L. plantarum exhibited equal and enhanced inhibition activity of 1.3 ± 0.1 cm against gut pathogens such as S. aureus, S. flexneri, E. coli and S. typhimurium, while compared to MRS broth cultivation. The results indicate that the combined enzyme extract of seaweed polysaccharides could act as a potential prebiotic compound with extraordinary antioxidant activity and prebiotic efficiency.

Prebiotic Chondroitin Sulfate Disaccharide Isolated from Chicken Keel Bone Exhibiting Anticancer Potential Against Human Colon Cancer Cells

Chondroitin sulfate (CS)-Keel disaccharide (CSD) was produced by chondroitin AC lyase (PsPL8A) degradation of food grade CS-Keel polysaccharide isolated from chicken keel cartilage. PsPL8A showed specific activity, 340 ± 5.2 U mg−1 with CS-Keel polysaccharide. TLC showed CSD as the major product. CSD was purified by gel filtration and MS/MS, confirms it as C4S disaccharide. Structural characterization by FTIR and NMR showed presence of N-acetylgalactosamine and glucuronic acid. CSD displayed resistance to gastric juice with 23.7% hydrolysis at pH 1.0. CSD showed prebiotic score of 0.57 for L. acidophilus and 0.58 for B. infantis and produce SCFA products. MTT and morphological analysis confirmed, CSD (0.5 mg mL−1) does not decrease viability of mouse fibroblast (L929), but showed anti-proliferative potential against human colon cancer (HT-29) cell lines (80% inhibition). CSD treated HT-29 cells exhibit nuclear fragmentation and apoptosis. Prebiotic and anticancer potential of CSD can be utilized for functional food preparation and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders.

Pectin-non-starch nanofibers biocomposites as novel gastrointestinal-resistant prebiotics

Incorporation of nanofibers of chitin (NC), lignocellulose (NLC) and bacterial cellulose (BNC) in pectin was studied to improve prebiotic activity and gastrointestinal resistance of the pectin-nanofibers biocomposites for protection of probiotics under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The biocomposites were prepared using various compositions of pectin and nanofibers, which were designed using D-optimal mixture method. The incorporation of the nanofibers in pectin led to a slow degradation of the pectin-nanofibers biocomposites in contrast to their rapid swelling. AFM analysis indicated the homogenous distribution of interconnected nanofibers network structure in the pectin-nanofibers biocomposite. FTIR spectra demonstrated fabrication of the biocomposites based on the inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonding and ionic interaction of pectin-Ca2+. XRD patterns revealed the amorphous structures of the biocomposites as compared to the crystalline structures of the nanofibers. Among the compositions, the optimal compositions were as follows: 60% pectin+40% NC, 50% pectin+50% NLC and 60% pectin+40% BNC, where the prebiotic score, probiotic survival under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions were optimum. The optimal biocomposite pectin-NC exhibited the highest survival of the entrapped probiotic bacteria under simulated gastric (97.7%) and intestinal (95.8%) conditions when compared with the corresponding to free cells (76.2 and 73.4%).

Starch- and carboxymethylcellulose-coated bacterial nanocellulose-pectin bionanocomposite as novel protective prebiotic matrices

The present research evaluated the effects of starch and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) incorporation with bacterial nanocellulose-pectin bionanocomposite (BNC-pec) on the protection of Bacillus coagulans under drying and simulated gastrointestinal (SGI) conditions. The BNC-pec used for the bacteria entrapment was coated with starch and CMC. This was followed by the investigation of the surface morphology, molecular bondings and crystallinity of such hydrocolloids. SEM images revealed that starch created smooth and compact surface compared to CMC did disrupted and patchy for BNC-pec. FTIR analysis revealed the hydrogen bonds as the most important intermolecular interactions in the matrices, and there existed no evidence of the formation of chemical bonds via coating, thus entrapping the cells without chemical reactions. In addition, the coating transformed the semi-crystallinity structure of the BNC-pec into amorphous. Prebiotic score of BNC-pec increased more in the case of the CMC-coated compared to starch-coated. Although the BNC-pec increased the survivability to approximately 95%, CMC and starch coating could not improve it during microwave drying. CMC and starch caused an upgrade in the survival rate resulting from the BNC-pec from 75 to 92.68 and 97.37%, respectively under SGI conditions. In order to improve the cell viability under both drying and SGI conditions, the prebiotic matrix was prepared using 60% BNC, 15% pectin and 25% CMC or starch as coating. The matrices yielded high survivability of B. coagulans at 66.67 (CMC-coated) and 61.67% (starch-coated) compared to free cell (47.93%). The present findings proposed novel prebiotic bionanocomposites as good promises for probiotics protection.

Bacterial nanocellulose-pectin bionanocomposites as prebiotics against drying and gastrointestinal condition

Various encapsulating materials have been suggested to protect probiotics, but the potential of nanomaterials is yet to be exploited. This study aimed to improve the survivability of Bacillus coagulans entrapping into bionanocomposites comprising of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), pectin and Schizophyllum commune extract were investigated as new matrices to protect probiotics. The bionanocomposite design was optimized to obtain the highest prebiotic score and survivability of probiotic under drying process and gastrointestinal condition using the simplex-lattice mixture method. The optimal bionanocomposite formulation was obtained by mixing 20% pectin with 80% BNC. High survival rate of B. coagulans after microwave drying (99.43%) and sequential digestion under stimulated gastrointestinal fluids (94.76%) with optimum prebiotic score for B. coagulans (1.00) and for Escherichia coli (0.99), were obtained. Nanoscale properties of BNC, high crystallinity and available surface area resulted in high probiotic protection. Stability test during storage period at ambient temperature, 4°C and −20°C performed viability reduction, respectively, 1.3, 1.7 and 1.8logCFU/g, which inferred the optimal bionanocomposite could be candidate as useful probiotics protection system in a variety of temperature during long time.