Extending viability of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus johnsonii by microencapsulation in alginate microgels.

AIM: To investigate whether microencapsulation of Lactobacillus in alginate microbeads will lead to increased longevity during refrigerated storage or simulated digestion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microscopy was used to confirm that Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC BAA-793 and Lactobacillus johnsonii ATCC 33200 were immobilised within the microbeads and laser scattering analysis was used to determine the mean diameter of the microbeads. The number of viable cells were enumerated throughout refrigerated storage and simulated digestion experiments. RESULTS: Microencapsulation was shown to have differing effects on viability depending on the species, but led to extended viability during refrigerated storage and simulated digestion in L. johnsonii and L. plantarum respectively. CONCLUSION: Fermented functional foods contain microbes beneficial to human health. However, extended shelf storage and the harsh environment of the GI tract significantly reduces the number of viable microbes reaching the consumer. Microencapsulation allows beneficial microbes to reach the gut of the consumer in higher numbers, and thus confer greater health benefits.

Correction: Microencapsulation of probiotics in hydrogel particles: enhancing Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris LM0230 viability using calcium alginate beads.

Correction for 'Microencapsulation of probiotics in hydrogel particles: enhancing Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris LM0230 viability using calcium alginate beads' by Timothy W. Yeung et al., Food Funct., 2016, 7, 1797-1804.

Microencapsulation in Alginate and Chitosan Microgels to Enhance Viability of Bifidobacterium longum for Oral Delivery.

Probiotic microorganisms are incorporated into a wide variety of foods, supplements, and pharmaceuticals to promote human health and wellness. However, maintaining bacterial cell viability during storage and gastrointestinal transit remains a challenge. Encapsulation of bifidobacteria within food-grade hydrogel particles potentially mitigates their sensitivity to environmental stresses. In this study, Bifidobacterium longum subspecies and strains were encapsulated in core-shell microgels consisting of an alginate core and a microgel shell. Encapsulated obligate anaerobes Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum exhibited differences in viability in a strain-dependent manner, without a discernable relationship to subspecies lineage. This includes viability under aerobic storage conditions and modeled gastrointestinal tract conditions. Coating alginate microgels with chitosan did not improve viability compared to cells encapsulated in alginate microgels alone, suggesting that modifying the surface charge alone does not enhance delivery. Thus hydrogel beads have great potential for improving the stability and efficacy of bifidobacterial probiotics in various nutritional interventions.

Microencapsulation of probiotics in hydrogel particles: enhancing Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris LM0230 viability using calcium alginate beads.

Probiotics are beneficial microbes often added to food products to enhance the health and wellness of consumers. A major limitation to producing efficacious functional foods containing probiotic cells is their tendency to lose viability during storage and gastrointestinal transit. In this study, the impact of encapsulating probiotics within food-grade hydrogel particles to mitigate sensitivity to environmental stresses was examined. Confocal fluorescence microscopy confirmed that Lactococcus lactis were trapped within calcium alginate beads formed by dripping a probiotic-alginate mixture into a calcium solution. Encapsulation improved the viability of the probiotics during aerobic storage: after seven days, less than a two-log reduction was observed in encapsulated cells stored at room temperature, demonstrating that a high concentration of cells survived relative to non-encapsulated bacteria. These hydrogel beads may have applications for improving the stability and efficacy of probiotics in functional foods.