pH Sensitive Probiotic Encapsulation Techniques
Probiotic encapsulation presents unique technical challenges centered around maintaining cell viability through the harsh pH gradient of the digestive tract. Clinical studies show that unprotected probiotic strains typically experience 2-3 log reduction in viability after exposure to gastric acid (pH 1.5-3.5) for just 2 hours, while targeted delivery to the intestinal environment (pH 6.8-7.4) requires precise control over the dissolution kinetics of protective matrices.
The fundamental challenge lies in designing encapsulation systems that remain stable in acidic gastric conditions while reliably dissolving at intestinal pH levels to release viable probiotic cells where they can exert their beneficial effects.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including methacrylic acid-alginic acid copolymer shells, pectin-based matrices with enteric polymer coatings, oil-lipid layered microencapsulation systems, and protein-coated microparticles for heat-treated applications. These and other approaches enable formulators to balance probiotic protection against practical considerations of manufacturing scalability, shelf stability, and cost-effectiveness.
1. Microcapsules with Methacrylic Acid-Alginic Acid Copolymer Shell for Probiotic Encapsulation
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI BARI ALDO MORO, 2025
Microcapsules containing probiotic strains that can withstand the stresses of food preparation and storage, including high temperatures, pH variations, and digestive enzymes. The microcapsules incorporate a polymer shell that protects the probiotic microorganisms while maintaining their viability. The polymer shell is comprised of a copolymer of methacrylic acid and alginic acid, with a prebiotic component. This formulation enables the probiotics to colonize the intestinal environment without compromising their activity, making it ideal for food products that require probiotic preservation during processing.
2. Hard Shell Capsules with pH-Responsive Anionic Poly(meth)acrylate Coating for Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Delivery
EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH, 2025
Enteric coated hard shell capsules for delivering pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals to the lower gastrointestinal tract while avoiding release in the stomach. The capsules have a pH responsive polymer coating containing specific components like anionic poly(meth)acrylate copolymers, glidants, plasticizers, and low amounts of non-ionic emulsifiers. This allows stable coating at low pH but dissolution at intestinal pH for targeted release in the colon and ileum.
3. Softgel Capsule with Pectin-Based Shell and Lightweight Enteric Polymer Coating
SCHERER TECHNOLOGIES LLC R P, 2024
Softgel capsules with enteric coating for delayed release of active ingredients, comprising a pectin-based shell and a light-weight enteric polymer coating that maintains capsule integrity in acidic environments while releasing the fill material in the intestines or colon.
4. Encapsulation Method for Active Compounds in Polymer-Shelled Oleogel Matrix with Cross-Linked Network
IAMFLUIDICS HOLDING B V, 2024
Preserving active compounds through encapsulation in a stable, dry powder matrix. The method involves creating a polymer shell around a liquid suspension of the active compound, which is encapsulated within a hydrophobic oleogel matrix. The oleogel matrix is stabilized by a cross-linked polymer network, providing a protective environment that prevents moisture and oxygen exposure. This encapsulated matrix maintains the active compound's integrity and stability, enabling extended shelf life while preserving its biological activity.
5. Heat-Treated Beverage with Encapsulated Probiotics in Protein-Coated Microparticles
ANABIO TECH LTD, 2024
Shelf-stable, heat-treated beverage containing encapsulated probiotics that can be stored at ambient temperatures for extended periods without spoilage. The beverage contains microparticles with live probiotics encapsulated within. The microparticles are made by coating a core of sub-microparticles containing the probiotics with denatured protein using a fluidized bed process. This prevents leakage and degradation of the probiotics during heat treatment and storage. The encapsulated probiotics survive UHT processing and maintain viability for 24 months at room temperature.
6. Encapsulation Matrices
Jennifer Burgain, Joël Scher, Claire Gaïani - Wiley, 2024
The selection of the encapsulation matrix is a preliminary stage that requires a rigorous methodological approach. Microencapsulation is the technique of choice for preserving the vitality of probiotic bacteria. Nowadays, the use of prebiotics, starch, gelatin and milk proteins as encapsulation matrices offers greater functionality. These components not only protect bacteria during food processing and storage, as well as gastrointestinal conditions, but also have their own health benefits. Knowledge of the adhesion phenomena between bacteria and the materials used for encapsulation is fundamental to understanding the structuring of matter. A better understanding of encapsulation mechanisms (process and formulation) and bacteriamatrix interactions will enable us to optimize the protection of probiotic bacteria in order to preserve their vitality and vectorize them to their site of action, where they will be able to exert their beneficial effect.
7. Capsule with Enteric-Coated Multi-Nutrient Microspheres and Hydrogel Matrix Featuring Laser-Punched Shell
SHANDONG RIENTECH MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
A diet-reducing capsule containing multi-nutrient microspheres for weight loss and nutritional supplementation. The capsule comprises microspheres encapsulating probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals, which are protected from gastric acid and bile salts by an enteric coating. The microspheres are attached to a hydrogel matrix that provides a stable environment for nutrient release. The capsule shell is modified with laser-punched holes to accelerate gastric juice dissolution and timed nutrient release. The capsule promotes satiety, supports gut health, and provides essential nutrients for weight management.
8. Assessment of the functional properties of probiotic-loaded alginate beads and their effects on the growth performance of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Nico G. Dumandan, Caren R. Tumambing, Ivan Duanne F. Arriola - Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering, 2024
Probiotics play a crucial role in improving aquaculture productivity, but their integration in aquaculture farming is restricted by environmental and biological factors. To address these limitations, alginate-based encapsulation was explored for improved functionality and efficient probiotic delivery in tilapia aquaculture. Probiotic isolates, including Lacticaseibacillus sp. FSPL001, Saccharomyces sp. FSPL011, and Bacillus sp. FSPL020, were encapsulated within a sodium alginate/soy protein isolate (SA/SPI) polymer matrix coated with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to produce probiotic-loaded alginate beads (PLABs). High encapsulation efficiency was achieved, with encapsulation rates exceeding 95% and viability counts reaching at least 1 107 CFU/g beads. Furthermore, encapsulation significantly enhanced probiotic tolerance to biological barriers, including low pH and bile, while maintaining stability under high salinity. The SA/SPI polymer matrix displayed pH-sensitive dynamic swelling behavior, enabling a controlled-release mechanism as confirmed by in vitro release assays during si... Read More
9. Microencapsulation System with Oil and Lipid Layers for Core Material Protection
MELLO APS, 2024
Microencapsulating sensitive materials like probiotics to safely and efficiently deliver them to target locations like the gut. The encapsulation involves a core material like probiotics surrounded by an oil layer and then a solidifying lipid layer. The core is suspended in oil, then contact with molten lipid to form a solid shell. This provides a stable, tolerant microcapsule for delivering sensitive materials like probiotics through harsh conditions like stomach acid and moisture. The capsules have high viability and retention of the core material after storage and distribution.
10. Encapsulation of Probiotics within Double/Multiple Layer Beads/Carriers: A Concise Review
Sofia Agriopoulou, Slim Smaoui, Moufida Chaari - MDPI AG, 2024
An increased demand for natural products nowadays most specifically probiotics (PROs) is evident since it comes in conjunction with beneficial health effects for consumers. In this regard, it is well known that encapsulation could positively affect the PROs' viability throughout food manufacturing and long-term storage. This paper aims to analyze and review various double/multilayer strategies for encapsulation of PROs. Double-layer encapsulation of PROs by electrohydrodynamic atomization or electrospraying technology has been reported along with layer-by-layer assembly and water-in-oil-in-water (W
11. Controlled Release Particles with Acid Insoluble Polymer and Colloidal Silica Encapsulation for Hydrophobic Actives
TRUCAPSOL LLC, 2024
Controlled release particles for delivering hydrophobic actives in acidic media like beverages or cleaning solutions without premature release, using GRAS materials. The particles have a core of the hydrophobic active and an emulsifier. The core is surrounded by a wall containing an acid insoluble polymer, colloidal silica, water insoluble salt, film forming polymer, and optionally a flow aid. The particles retain the active in acidic media below pH 6 and release it in basic media above pH 7. This allows stable encapsulation in acidic formulations that release the active upon pH increase.
12. Viability of Free and Alginate–Carrageenan Gum Coated <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> and <i>Lacticaseibacillus casei</i> in Functional Cottage Cheese
Muhammad Saeed, Rehana Khanam, Hammad Hafeez - American Chemical Society (ACS), 2024
The survivability of encapsulated and nonencapsulated probiotics consisting of
13. Delivery of Probiotics with Cellulose-Based Films and Their Food Applications
Ying Yang, J. W. Zhang, Chengcheng Li - MDPI AG, 2024
Probiotics have attracted great interest from many researchers due to their beneficial effects. Encapsulation of probiotics into biopolymer matrices has led to the development of active food packaging materials as an alternative to traditional ones for controlling food-borne microorganisms, extending food shelf life, improving food safety, and achieving health-promoting effects. The challenges of low survival rates during processing, storage, and delivery to the gut and low intestinal colonization, storage stability, and controllability have greatly limited the use of probiotics in practical food-preservation applications. The encapsulation of probiotics with a protective matrix can increase their resistance to a harsh environment and improve their survival rates, making probiotics appropriate in the food packaging field. Cellulose has attracted extensive attention in food packaging due to its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, environmental friendliness, renewability, and excellent mechanical strength. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the main types of cellu... Read More
14. Probiotic Surface Coating with In Situ Formed Biopolymer-Metal Cross-Linked Film and Bio-Enzyme Interaction Layer
CHENGDU BANGJIALEJUN BIOTECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024
Beneficial use of probiotics in transport and storage processes. The activity protecting capacity to the probiotics is achieved by forming a film in situ on the surface of the probiotics by using natural biological macromolecules and metal ions on surfaces of the probiotics through covalent cross-linking or metal chelating action in situ, and a second layer is formed by interactions between a bio-enzyme and the natural biological macromolecules.
15. Use of Lactulose as Prebiotic and Chitosan Coating for Improvement the Viability of Lactobacillus sp. FM4.C1.2 Microencapsulate with Alginate
Fabiola Rizo-Vázquez, Alfredo Vázquez-Ovando, David Mejía-Reyes - MDPI AG, 2024
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) constitute the microbial group most used as probiotics; however, many strains reduce their viability during their transit through the body. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two microencapsulation techniques, as well as the incorporation of lactulose as a prebiotic and the use of chitosan coating on the microcapsules, on the viability of the Lactobacillus sp. strain FM4.C1.2. LAB were microencapsulated by extrusion or emulsion, using 2% sodium alginate as encapsulating matrix and lactulose (2 or 4%) as the prebiotic. The encapsulation efficiency was evaluated, and the capsules were measured for moisture and size. The encapsulation efficiency ranged between 80.64 and 99.32% for both techniques, with capsule sizes between 140.64 and 1465.65 m and moisture contents from 88.23 to 98.04%. The microcapsules of some selected treatments (five) were later coated with chitosan and LAB survival was evaluated both in coated and uncoated microcapsules, through tolerance to pH 2.5, bile salts and storage for 15 days at 4 C. The highest survival ... Read More
16. Single-cell encapsulation systems for probiotic delivery: Armor probiotics
Runan Zhao, Ting Yu, Jiaheng Li - Elsevier BV, 2024
Functional foods or drugs based on probiotics have gained unprecedented attention and development due to the increasingly clear relationship between probiotics and human health. Probiotics can regulate intestinal microbiota, dynamically participating in various physiological activities to directly affect human health. Some probiotic-based functional preparations have shown great potential in treating multiple refractory diseases. Currently, the survival and activity of probiotic cells in complex environments in vitro and in vivo have taken priority, and various encapsulation systems based on food-derived materials have been designed and constructed to protect and deliver probiotics. However, traditional encapsulation technology cannot achieve precise protection for a single probiotic, which makes it unable to have a significant effect after release. In this case, single-cell encapsulation systems can be assembled based on biological interfaces to protect and functionalize individual probiotic cells, maximizing their physiological activity. This review discussed the arduous challenges... Read More
17. Oral delivery of probiotics using single‐cell encapsulation
Jiaqi Han, David Julian McClements, Xuebo Liu - Wiley, 2024
Abstract Adequate intake of live probiotics is beneficial to human health and wellbeing because they can help treat or prevent a variety of health conditions. However, the viability of probiotics is reduced by the harsh environments they experience during passage through the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Consequently, the oral delivery of viable probiotics is a significant challenge. Probiotic encapsulation provides a potential solution to this problem. However, the production methods used to create conventional encapsulation technologies often damage probiotics. Moreover, the delivery systems produced often do not have the required physicochemical attributes or robustness for food applications. Singlecell encapsulation is based on forming a protective coating around a single probiotic cell. These coatings may be biofilms or biopolymer layers designed to protect the probiotic from the harsh gastrointestinal environment, enhance their colonization, and introduce additional beneficial functions. This article reviews the factors affecting the oral delivery of probiotics, analyses... Read More
18. Advanced Drug Delivery Approaches Containing Synbiotics
Popat Kumbhar, Kaustubh Kolekar, Rajnandini Patil - Springer Nature Singapore, 2024
Synbiotics have shown various beneficial effects in inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, infectious disorders, and diarrheal illnesses. However, the delivery of probiotics to the host intestine is challenging owing to the poor survivability and viability of probiotic bacteria during the gastric transit, and poor stability at the highly acidic pH of the stomach. The oral delivery of probiotics in combination with prebiotics can achieve the targeted delivery of probiotics toward the intestine. The deliveries of synbiotics through suitable particulate carriers can also be useful to improve the encapsulation efficiency, viability, stability, and performance of probiotics. In addition, these particulate carriers also help to control the release of probiotics at the target site (intestine). This chapter discusses the synbiotics and various particulate carriers in synbiotics delivery along with multiple case studies. Further, the synbiotics in clinical trials and regulatory aspects of synbiotics are also highlighted.
19. Research advances on encapsulation of probiotics with nanomaterials and their repair mechanisms on intestinal barriers
Xiaochen Wang, Mengxi Yu, Jianming Ye - Tsinghua University Press, 2024
Probiotics participate in various physiological activities and contribute to body health. However, their viability and bioefficacy are adversely affected by gastrointestinal harsh conditions, such as gastric acid, bile salts and various enzymes. Fortunately, encapsulation based on various nanomaterials shows tremendous potential to protect probiotics. In this review, we introduced some novel encapsulation technologies involving nanomaterials in view of predesigned stability and viability, selective adhesion, smart release and colonization, and efficacy exertion of encapsulated probiotics. Furthermore, the interactions between encapsulated probiotics and the gastrointestinal tract were summarized and analyzed, with highlighting the regulatory mechanisms of encapsulated probiotics on intestinal mechanical barrier, chemical barrier, biological barrier and immune barrier. This review would benefit the food and pharmaceutical industries in preparation and utilization of multifunctional encapsulated probiotics.
20. Production of CaCO3-single-coated probiotics and evaluation of their spectroscopic properties, morphological characteristics, viability, and intestinal delivery efficiency
Y. S. Lee, Seonmi Shin, Myoung‐Jin Kim - Elsevier BV, 2024
The intake of probiotics offers various health benefits; however, their efficacy depends on the maintenance of viability during industrial processing and digestion. Probiotic viability can be compromised during encapsulation, freeze-drying, storage, and digestion, necessitating multiple coatings. This complicates production and raises costs. In this study, CaCO
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