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Updated: May 7, 2026
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Author Spotlight: Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality
Published on: April 7, 2023
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Key challenges and novel encapsulation technologies for probiotics stability improvement: A review
Hongxia Gao1, Ziling Li2, Chunqing Bai2
1College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, Jiangxi, China; Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain; Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA), Universidade de Vigo, Campus Auga, Ourense 32004, Spain.
Food Chemistry
|May 5, 2026
Summary
Probiotics offer health benefits, but their survival is challenged by environmental factors. Novel encapsulation methods, like shell-core microbeads, significantly enhance probiotic viability for diverse applications.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Food Science
Background:
- Probiotics are recognized for health benefits.
- Limited reviews exist on disease alleviation, environmental impact, and encapsulation effects on probiotic viability.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing probiotic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the physiological effects of probiotics.
- To describe environmental factors affecting probiotic viability.
- To explore advanced encapsulation technologies for enhancing probiotic survival and application.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on probiotic mechanisms, environmental interactions, and encapsulation techniques.
- Analysis of various encapsulation methods including single-cell self-assembly, emulsions, hydrogels, electrospinning, electrospraying, biofilm, thin-film, and shell-core microbeads.
- Discussion of probiotic applications in food, agriculture, and medicine.
Main Results:
- Probiotics exert beneficial physiological effects.
- Environmental conditions can impair probiotic viability.
- Shell-core microbeads offer superior storage stability and gastrointestinal viability due to independent encapsulation in a lipid environment.
- Various encapsulation technologies exist, each with specific advantages.
Conclusions:
- Encapsulation is key to overcoming challenges in probiotic viability.
- Shell-core microbeads represent a promising technology for long-term probiotic stability and efficacy.
- Further research into novel encapsulation systems will advance probiotic applications in food, agriculture, and medicine.
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