Viability of Probiotic Lactic Acid Microencapsulated with Maltodextrin in the Simulated Gastric Juice and Bile Salt

Probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consisted of Lactobacillus murinus Ar3, Streptococcus thermophilus Kp2, and Pediococcus acidilacti Kd6 were encapsulated with skimmed milk-maltodextrin. In vitro studies were used to determine the effects of simulated gastric juice (SGJ) and bile salt on the viability of encapsulated probiotics. The results showed that the viability of microencapsulated LAB decreased 0.45 log units during 3-h exposure to SGJ with pepsin at pH 2.5. After 4-h exposure in bile salt solutions at pH 6.5, the number of microencapsulated LAB increased by 1.10 log units. Microencapsulated LAB was completely released from the coated after exposure to bile salt during 4-h. This study confirmed that maltodextrin in microencapsulation might be an effective method that could allow viable probiotic bacteria to reach the large intestine. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.