Alkaline-pH-shifted mung bean protein isolate for spray-dried probiotic encapsulation: Insights into molecular cell...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Probiotics exhibit low viability post-spray drying due to heat and oxidative stress.
• Effective encapsulation is crucial for maintaining probiotic functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate alkaline-pH-shifted mung bean protein isolate (pHMBPI) as an encapsulant for Limosilactobacillus reuteri KUB-AC5.
• To compare pHMBPI with mung bean protein isolate (MBPI) and whey protein isolate (WPI).

Main Methods:

• Spray drying of Limosilactobacillus reuteri KUB-AC5 using pHMBPI, MBPI, and WPI.
• Assessment of physical properties (solubility, hydrophobicity) and antioxidant activity (ABTS•+ scavenging).
• Evaluation of cell viability, membrane integrity, and stability during simulated digestion using NMR and molecular dynamics simulations.

Main Results:

• pHMBPI demonstrated superior solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and antioxidant activity.
• pHMBPI encapsulation resulted in significantly lower cell wall and membrane injury, higher viable counts, and improved survival rates.
• Encapsulated probiotics maintained high viability through simulated gastric and intestinal digestion, with NMR confirming reduced lipid peroxidation.

Conclusions:

• pHMBPI is a highly effective encapsulant for probiotics, enhancing thermal stability and antioxidant defense.
• Strong electrostatic interactions between pHMBPI components and bacterial cell wall targets contribute to improved encapsulation.
• pHMBPI presents a promising strategy for delivering viable probiotics with enhanced functional properties.