In vitro synbiotic activity of Lactobacillus plantarum encapsulated with mixtures of Aloe vera mucilage, agave fructans and food additives as wall materials

Abstract

In this work, Lactobacillus plantarum was encapsulated in matrices made from the prebiotics gum Arabic (GA), whey protein concentrate (WPC), Aloe vera mucilage (AVM) and agave fructans with a high degree of polymerization (AFHDP). The synbiotic behavior was assessed by rheological mucoadhesion, simulation of gastrointestinal digestion, growth inhibition of pathogens, antibiotic activity of extracellular metabolites and viability of the probiotic during storage at room and refrigeration temperatures. Rheological studies demonstrated that the biopolymer mixture interacted with intestinal adhesion proteins (mucin) via hydrogen bonding, forming weak gels. During the simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the viability of the microorganism released from mixtures with GA increases after two hours, which evidence microorganism release from the capsule. The extracellular metabolites extract proved to be significantly more effective in the growth inhibition of pathogens and the storage viability reduction is lower than 0.3 log CFU/g after 70 days. These results show for the first time, that L. plantarum, when microencapsulated in a suitable prebiotic matrix, displays improved synbiotic activity, guaranteeing that the probiotic will produce potential health benefits and could be used in the formulation of functional foods and products.