Microencapsulation of Probiotics by Calcium Alginate and Gelatin and Evaluation of its Survival in Simulated Human Gastro-Intestinal Condition

Abstract

In the recent past, there has been an explosion of probiotic health-based products. However, there are many reports indicated that there is poor survival of probiotic bacteria in these products. Further, the survival of these bacteria in the human gastro-intestinal system is questionable. Providing probiotic living cells with a physical barrier against adverse environmental conditions is therefore an approach currently receiving considerable interest. Microencapsulation being one of the most modern methods has considerable effects on probiotic survival. In this study Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCDC 014) and Lactobacillus casei (NCDC 018)) were encapsulated using calcium alginate-gelatin and prebiotics (inulin and Lactulose) via extrusion technique, and were incubated in simulated gastric juice (along with pepsin, pH=1.5) for 2 hours and simulated intestinal juice (along with bile salts, pH = 8) for 4 hours at 37oC. . The results indicated that the survival of microencapsulated probiotic increased significantly in simulated gastro-intestinal condition. In general, this study indicated that microencapsulation with alginate-gelatin with prebiotic could successfully and significantly protect L. acidophilus and L. casei against adverse condition of simulated human gastro-intestinal condition and offers an effective means of delivery of viable bacterial cells to the colon.