Effective microencapsulation of Enterococcus faecium in biopolymeric matrices using spray drying

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Probiotics require protective encapsulation to survive processing and digestion.
• Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and native agave fructans (NAF) are potential encapsulation materials.
• Enterococcus faecium is a probiotic microorganism with potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate WPC, NAF, and a WPC-NAF mixture as wall materials for Enterococcus faecium encapsulation.
• To assess the physicochemical properties and stability of encapsulated E. faecium after spray drying, storage, and simulated gastrointestinal transit.

Main Methods:

• Spray drying was used for microencapsulation of E. faecium.
• Physicochemical properties and viability of encapsulated probiotics were analyzed.
• Simulated gastrointestinal tests and storage stability at a specific water activity (Aw) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• The WPC-NAF mixture resulted in higher E. faecium viability (9.26 log CFU/g) and microencapsulation yield (88.43%).
• WPC-NAF encapsulation provided significant protection against gastrointestinal conditions and improved storage stability at Aw 0.328.
• NAF alone showed a greater reduction in probiotic viability during simulated gastrointestinal tests.

Conclusions:

• Spray drying is a suitable method for encapsulating E. faecium.
• The WPC-NAF blend is an effective encapsulating material, enhancing probiotic stability and survival.
• This WPC-NAF combination offers potential for producing robust microcapsules for food applications.