Microencapsulation of Probiotic Streptococcus salivarius LAB813

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biomaterials Science
• Oral Health Research

Background:

• Probiotics, beneficial live microorganisms, require effective delivery systems for therapeutic applications.
• Commensal oral bacterium *Streptococcus salivarius* exhibits probiotic potential due to antimicrobial peptide secretion.
• Developing stable and effective delivery systems is crucial for probiotic efficacy, particularly in the oral cavity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a dual-layer microcapsule delivery system for the novel probiotic strain *Streptococcus salivarius* LAB813.
• To assess the stability and antibacterial efficacy of alginate-chitosan encapsulated *S. salivarius* LAB813.
• To investigate the potential of this probiotic delivery system for enhancing oral health.

Main Methods:

• Encapsulation of *S. salivarius* LAB813 using an extrusion method to form alginate (Alg) microcapsules.
• Coating of alginate microcapsules with chitosan (Ch) to create dual-layered Alg-LAB813-Ch microcapsules.
• Evaluation of microcapsule antibacterial activity against an indicator strain under various conditions (time, temperature) and during storage.

Main Results:

• Alg-LAB813-Ch microcapsules exhibited superior antibacterial properties compared to Alg-LAB813 microcapsules over 24 hours.
• The dual-layered microcapsules maintained significant antibacterial activity across a temperature range of 4 to 68 °C.
• Alg-LAB813-Ch microcapsules retained their antibacterial efficacy for up to 28 days when stored at 4 °C.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan-coated alginate microcapsules provide a robust delivery system for *S. salivarius* LAB813.
• The enhanced stability and sustained antibacterial activity of Alg-LAB813-Ch microcapsules highlight their potential for oral health improvement.
• This study validates the use of polysaccharide-based microencapsulation for developing effective oral probiotics.