On the encapsulation and viability of probiotic bacteria in edible carboxymethyl cellulose-gelatin water-in-water emulsions

In this study, novel biobased dispersions to entrap probiotic bacteria were developed and characterized regarding their formation, microstructure and in vitro viability and culturability performance in model salivary, gastric and intestinal fluids. The systems are composed of type B pigskin gelatin and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) which, depending on concentrations and temperature, can form water-in-water (W/W) emulsion droplets as observed by optical and fluorescence microscopy. Model probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), were successfully entrapped into the W/W emulsion droplets with surprisingly high viability. Moreover, the survival of the LGG cells, when exposed to the different model fluids, was improved after their entrapment in the W/W emulsions. Therefore, the developed dispersions display high potential for probiotic encapsulation and eventual delivery into the intestinal tract with acceptable viability. © 2017 Elsevier LtdThis work was supported by funding from the People Program (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Program FP7/2007–2013/under REA grant agreement n° 606713 BIBAFOODS. The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) is acknowledged through the project PTDC/AGR-TEC/4814/2014 and researcher grant IF/01005/2014 . J. Esquena also acknowledges grateful support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness ( CTQ2014-52687-C3-1-P grant), Generalitat de Catalunya ( 2014 SGR 1655 and TECCIT15-1-0009 ), and NANBIOSIS Singular Scientific Technological Infrastructures . Dra. Isabel Nunes (Center for Neurocience and Cell Biology-University of Coimbra) is greatly acknowledged for the support on the flow cytometry experiments. Professor Björn Lindman is acknowledged for valuable comments on the manuscript. Appendix APeer reviewe