In this study, to develop a robust probiotic delivery system, high molecular weight 1,3-β-D-glucan curdlan gum (CUR) was employed as a functional wall material. It was combined with whey protein isolate and high oleic sunflower oil to prepare solid/oil/water (S/O/W) emulsion microcapsules using electrostatic spray drying (ESD) technology. Additionally, pectin and high oleic sunflower oil were utilized as functional wall materials. All the microcapsules exhibited low water content (3.66%-5.04%) and water activity (aw 0.178-0.230), which is beneficial for long-term storage stability. Following drying, the survival rate of probiotics in each treatment group exceeded 90%. It is worth noting that the microcapsules containing 5% CUR exhibit the most effective overall protective effect: following heat treatments of 63 °C for 30 min and 75 °C for 10 min, the loss of viable bacteria was only 1.18 and 1.39 Log CFU/g, respectively. After 12 weeks of storage at 4 °C and 25 °C, the survival rates were maintained at 93% and 66%, respectively. Its excellent performance is attributed to the fact that CUR can form a dense gel network structure at high temperatures, which effectively blocks heat transfer and oxygen penetration. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that microcapsules containing 5% CUR form a relatively dense physical barrier and maintain structural integrity. The above results demonstrate that incorporating CUR into a S/O/W emulsion system, combined with ESD technology, is a promising strategy for wall materials to enhance the thermal tolerance and shelf-life stability of probiotic microcapsules.
Xiaobing Liu, Zhiqiang Liang, Jiarui Li et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
In this study, emulsion-loaded hydrogel beads were developed using konjac glucomannan (KGM), oat β-glucan (Glu), and sodium alginate (SA) as composite wall materials, with a shortening-based water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion incorporated for the protective delivery of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL99. Rheological analysis showed that the KGM/Glu system at a ratio of 6:4 exhibited enhanced viscoelasticity. FTIR analysis indicated changes in the hydrogen-bonding environment and polysaccharide fingerprint region, while dual-channel CLSM observation of separately labeled KGM and Glu revealed partial spatial overlap and interpenetrating distribution, supporting favorable compatibility and chain association between the two polysaccharides. Contact angle and ζ-potential analyses were used as auxiliary indicators of apparent surface wettability and charge characteristics. DSC results showed that shortening exhibited a broad melting range of 12-52 °C, suggesting its potential as a thermally responsive phase. CLSM and SEM showed that oil droplets were embedded within the KGM/Glu/SA gel network, forming a multiphase structure with dispersed oil domains and probiotic-entrapping regions. Compared with KGM/Glu/SA hydrogel beads without emulsion (KSG), emulsion-loaded KGM/Glu/SA hydrogel beads (E-KSG) showed improved morphology, denser cross-sectional structure, and better stability in simulated intestinal fluid. After 360 min of simulated gastrointestinal digestion, BL99 counts in KSG and E-KSG were 4.81 and 5.05 log CFU/g, respectively. E-KSG maintained 8.35 and 4.98 log CFU/g after treatment at 63 °C for 30 min and 95 °C for 120 s, respectively, and improved BL99 viability during storage in peach juice, milk, and yogurt. These results demonstrate that the KGM/Glu/SA network combined with shortening-based W/O emulsion enhanced gastrointestinal protection, thermal tolerance, and storage stability of BL99.
Zhihang Bo, Jiarui Li, Xinyue Zang et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
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