Rangika Weerakkody

Synbiotic Microcapsules That Enhance Microbial Viability during Nonrefrigerated Storage and Gastrointestinal Transit

ABSTRACT A Bifidobacterium infantis strain was microencapsulated within a film-forming protein-carbohydrate-oil emulsion. This novel encapsulant incorporated prebiotics and substantially protected the bacterium during nonrefrigerated storage and gastrointestinal transit. The dried microcapsules were small (15 to 20 μm), had low water activity (0.2 to 0.3), and rapidly released the bacteria in simulated intestinal fluid.

Microencapsulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Powders: Relationship of Powder Physical Properties to Probiotic Survival during Storage

Freeze-dried commercial Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were encapsulated in an emulsion-based formulation stabilized by whey protein and resistant starch and either spray-dried or freeze-dried to produce probiotic microcapsules. There was no difference in loss of probiotics viability after spray drying or freeze drying. Particle size, morphology, moisture sorption, and water mobility of the powder microcapsules were examined. Particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy showed that spray-dried LGG microcapsules (SDMC) were small spherical particles, whereas freeze-dried LGG microcapsules (FDMC) were larger nonspherical particles. Moisture sorption isotherms obtained using dynamic vapor sorption showed a slightly higher water uptake in spray-dried microcapsules. The effect of water mobility, as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, at various water activities (a(w) 0.32, 0.57, and 0.70) and probiotic viability during storage at 25 °C was also examined. Increasing the relative humidity of the environment at which the samples were stored caused an increase in water mobility and the rate of loss in viability. The viability data during storage indicated that SDMC had better storage stability compared to FDMC. Although more water was adsorbed for spray-dried than freeze-dried microcapsules, water mobility was similar for corresponding storage conditions because there was a stronger water-binding energy for spray-dried microcapsule. This possibly accounted for the improved survival of probiotics in spray-dried microcapsules.

Food matrix effects on in vitro digestion of microencapsulated tuna oil powder.

Tuna oil, containing 53 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 241 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per gram of oil, delivered as a neat microencapsulated tuna oil powder (25% oil loading) or in food matrices (orange juice, yogurt, or cereal bar) fortified with microencapsulated tuna oil powder was digested in simulated gastric fluid or sequentially in simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid. The level of fortification was equivalent to 1 g of tuna oil per recommended serving size (i.e., per 200 g of orange juice or yogurt or 60 g of cereal bar). The changes in particle size of oil droplets during digestion were influenced by the method of delivery of the microencapsulated tuna oil powder. Lipolysis in simulated gastric fluid was low, with only 4.4-6.1% EPA and ≤1.5% DHA released after digestion (as a % of total fatty acids present). After sequential exposure to simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, much higher extents of lipolysis of both glycerol-bound EPA and DHA were obtained (73.2-78.6% for the neat powder, fortified orange juice, and yogurt; 60.3-64.0% for the fortified cereal bar). This research demonstrates that the choice of food matrix may influence the lipolysis of microencapsulated tuna oil.

Chitosan−Glucose Conjugates: Influence of Extent of Maillard Reaction on Antioxidant Properties

Chitosan-glucose conjugates were prepared using Maillard reaction chemistry. Water-soluble and acid-soluble chitosan-glucose mixtures were heated at pH 4.9 and 6.0 at 98 °C. Mixtures at pH 6.0 containing acid-soluble chitosan gelled when heating was continued after reaching 98 °C and withstood gelation for only 30 min at pH 4.9. In contrast, mixtures containing water-soluble chitosan could be heated without gelation at pH 6.0 and 4.9. Examination of the extent of Maillard reaction and antioxidant properties showed that acid-soluble chitosan reacted for 30 min at pH 4.9 had the highest extent of reaction as judged by increased absorbance, the highest degree of modification to the amino group as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared and shifts of the endotherms by differential scanning calorimetry, and the highest antioxidant activity as indicated by ferric reducing power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. There were significant correlations (p < 0.05) between indices of browning and antioxidant activity.

Tocopherol and Ascorbate Have Contrasting Effects on the Viability of Microencapsulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

The antioxidants, sodium ascorbate and tocopherol, have contrasting effects on the viability of microencapsulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) spray-dried powders during storage (4 and 25 °C; 32, 57, and 70% relative humidity). The addition of tocopherol improved probiotic viability during storage, while the incorporation of Na-ascorbate alone or in combination with tocopherol had detrimental effects on probiotic survival. The beneficial effect of tocopherol is a consequence of its chemical antioxidative action. The reduced viability in Na-ascorbate containing microcapsule formulations is hypothesized to be due primarily to the production of acetic acids arising from chemical degradation reactions and the catabolism of ascorbate by LGG. This study highlights the importance of considering the detrimental consequences of degradative chemical reactions and the metabolic fate of additives on the viability of probiotics when designing probiotic encapsulant formulations.