Enhancement of probiotic viability in hydrogel beads by quinoa protein hydrolysate: Improving stability during...

Hydrogel encapsulation effectively protects probiotics during gastrointestinal transit; but maintaining viability during low-temperature storage remains challenging. In this study, quinoa protein hydrolysate (QPH) was incorporated into sodium alginate/pectin hydrogel beads to enhance Lactobacillus fermentum activity. QPH incorporation reduced the hardness and an augmentation in elasticity of hydrogel beads, and the encapsulation efficiency exceeding 85.22%. It interacted with the hydrogel matrix, and substantially improved the thermal stability of the hydrogel system. The low amount of QPH could enhance the viscosity of the gel solution, but high amount disrupts the stability of shear force. The hydrogel with 1.0% QPH incorporation (S-P-1.0) had excellent fluidity and stability. L. fermentum in S-P-1.0 hydrogel beads exhibited the highest survival rate of 68.83% after exposure to the digestive tract environment. Low-temperature storage confirmed that QPH addition enhanced probiotic survival in hydrogel beads, with S-P-1.0 achieving the highest survival rate of 70.42% after 3 weeks storage.