Probiotic biofilms: A novel encapsulation system for bioactive modalities

Bioactive modalities have garnered extensive research interest due to their potential in promoting human health. However, maintaining their biological activity during processing, storage, and digestion remains a significant challenge. Encapsulation has been recognized as an effective strategy to enhance the stability of these compounds. Conventional encapsulation techniques, however, often suffer from limited protective efficacy and inadequate intestinal adhesion. While biofilm-based encapsulation of probiotics provides a natural protective barrier for these microorganisms, its application has recently expanded beyond probiotics to include a wider range of bioactive modalities. Compared to traditional methods, probiotic biofilm-based encapsulation systems have emerged as a promising platform for the delivery of various bioactive modalities, owing to their superior stability, strong mucoadhesive properties, and excellent biocompatibility. This review outlines the types of bacterial biofilms and their beneficial functions, and discusses the advantages of probiotic biofilm-mediated encapsulation systems. It also comprehensively describes the composition and classification of biofilm encapsulation systems, and critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of different types of biofilm-based carriers. Furthermore, we summarize the applications of biofilm encapsulation systems in the fields of human health and food technology. Finally, we address the current key challenges facing the use of biofilm encapsulation for bioactive modalities and suggest potential.