Microencapsulation of probiotic Lactobacillus brevis ST-69 producing GABA using alginate supplemented with nanocrystalline starch.

Microencapsulation technology can be used to improve the probiotic viability under stress condition in the human gastrointestinal tract and during storage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of encapsulation materials on the survival of GABA-producing probiotics using alginate containing cassava starch nanocrystals under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and shelf storage. Lactobacillus brevis ST-69, GABA-producing probiotic strain, was isolated from kimchi and encapsulated using emulsion technique. The GABA activity, encapsulation efficiency, morphology, probiotic viability were evaluated. The encapsulation efficiency using emulsion technique was 89.72%. Probiotic encapsulated in alginate-nanocrystalline starch gel capsules showed high survival rate at 94.97% of probiotic cells under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and during long-life storage at 4 °C compared to free cells. Results showed that for improving the viability of probiotics against gastrointestinal and storage conditions, complex materials with nanocrystalline starch might be a better encapsulating matrix for the preparation of gel capsules.

Utilization of watermelon rind waste as a potential source of dietary fiber to improve health promoting properties and reduce glycemic index for cookie making.

Watermelon rind powder (WRP) is a rich source of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds, hence it could be used in the development of functional foods such as cookies. Different replacement levels of wheat flour with either WRP or hi-maize starch (HMS) (10-30%) on the quality of the cookies made were studied. The dietary fiber content in the cookies increased with incorporation of increasing level of either WRP or HMS. Increasing the proportion of the WRP in the cookie making resulted in an increase in the total phenolic content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power. Using up to 20% of WRP and 30% of HMS in the cookie making promotes: increase in dietary fiber, decrease in predicted glycemic index to medium (for WRP) and low (for HMS) levels, and improving the antioxidant activity. These changes still produce an acceptable cookie.