Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that positively impact gut health, skin, oral cavity, and genitals, pioneered by Elie Metchnikoff in the early 1900s [1,2]. The probiotics market is poised to grow from $46.54 billion in 2017 to $76.85 billion by 2023 [3]. This expansion is driven by heightened consumer awareness of the health benefits associated with probiotics [4].Lactiplantibacillus plantarum D-2 (LPD2) is one of beneficial micremfdjrkdkanoorganisms isolated and identified from sea tangle (Saccharina japonica) kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food [5]. It is known for its ability of withstand acidic and bile environments, making it a suitable probiotic supplement. Additionally, LPD2 possesses cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant properties, contributing to its overall health benefits [5].Prebiotics are non-digestible substances that selectively promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, enhancing intestinal health [6]. Inulin (INL), a polymer of fructose, is found in various plants like garlic, onion, and chicory root. It serves as a functional food component with applications as a prebiotic, viscosity modifier, fat or sugar substitute, and dietary fiber [7][8][9]. INL can improve viability and period of probiotics by preventing heat and dehydration damages during encapsulation and storage, so related researches are actively being conducted [3,6].Encapsulation is a technique that employs physical or chemical methods to enclose active components in food through wall materials, preserving their quality during processing and storage [10]. Various encapsulation methods, including freeze, spray, and spray-freeze drying, have been utilized in the food industry to encapsulate probiotics, drugs, and functional food ingredients. Spray drying (SD), an encapsulation technology, involves spraying liquid droplets of a polymer (wall material) and probiotic mixture into a drier, where they come into contact with heated air to form tiny solid particles [11]. SD offers several advantages for probiotic encapsulation, including: control over particle size, continuous production, and rapid drying time [12][13][14].
This study investigated the impact of inulin (INL) on viability of L. plantarum D-2 (LPD2) by encapsulation through spray drying (SD) and its commercialization potential to alternative of conventional wall material maltodextrin (MD). LPD2, derived from sea tangle (Saccharinajaponica) kimchi, is probiotics exhibiting significant attributes like cholesterol reduction, antioxidant properties, and resilience to acidic and bile environments. To enhance storage viability and stability of LPD2, encapsulation was applied by SD technology. The optimum encapsulation condition with MD was 10% MD concentration (MD10) and inlet temperature (96°C). The optimum concentration ratio of MD and INL was 7:3 (INL3) for alternative of MD with similar encapsulation yield and viability of LPD2. Viability of LPD2 with INL3 exhibited almost 8% higher than that with MD10 after 50 days storage at 25 o C. Physicochemical ch...