Protective Effect of Alginate Microcapsules with Different Rheological Behavior on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v

Abstract

Alginate encapsulation is a well-known technique used to protect microorganisms from adverse conditions. However, it is also known that the viscosity of the alginate is dependent on its composition and degree of polymerization and that thermal treatments, such as pasteurization and sterilization, can affect the structure of the polymer and decrease its protection efficiency. The goal of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of encapsulation, using alginates of different viscosities treated at different temperatures, on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions and cold storage at 4 °C and −15 °C, respectively. Steady- and dynamic-shear rheological tests were used to characterize the polymers. Thermal treatments profoundly affected the rheological characteristics of alginates with high and low viscosity. However, the solutions and gels of the low-viscosity alginate were more affected at a temperature of 117 °C. The capsules elaborated with high-viscosity alginate solution and pasteurized at 63 °C for 30 min provided better protection to the cells of L. plantarum 299v under simulated gastrointestinal and cold storage conditions.

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“…This means their viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate (Sachan et al, 2009). Hernández‐Gallegos et al (2023) noted that Newtonian liquids are unsuitable as encapsulating materials, as they would form liquid droplets instead of solid capsules during encapsulation processes.…”

Formation of Microcapsules of Pullulan by Emulsion Template Mechanism: Evaluation as Vitamin C Delivery Systems

“…The most used biopolymers in the food industry are polysaccharides and proteins like pectins, alginates, gellan, xanthan gum, gelatins, and chitosan, as examples [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Alginates and pectins have a fairly simple gelation mechanism based on the egg box mechanism induced by the presence of divalent cations, normally provided by calcium salts, which allows rapid gelation of the biopolymer, allowing gels to be obtained in bulk form [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], macrospheres [ 10 , 11 ], or even according to microsphere techniques [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Moreover, chitosan presents slower gelation kinetics when genipin is used as a cross-linking agent [ 16 , 17 ].…”