Pistacia atlantica (Bene) Oleoresin Gum: The Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity, and Potential Encapsulation of Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus acidophilus in Kefir with Sodium Alginate/Bene Gum Polymer

Abstract One of the main products obtained from the Pistacia atlantica (Bene) tree, in addition to the fruit, is oleoresin gum which is rich in polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds. This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Bene gum and its potential application with alginate in probiotic microencapsulation. Chemical analysis showed that the most abundant monosaccharides in Bene gum were arabinose, galactose, and galacturonic acid, and the most representative volatile compound was α-pinene. Bene extract was rich in phenolic compounds and showed good antioxidant activity. The results showed that the gum was effective against all bacteria tested at a concentration of 50 µg/ml and Gram-negative bacteria showed higher resistance than Gram-positive bacteria. Encapsulation of Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus acidophilus with sodium alginate and Bene gum biopolymers gave an encapsulation yield of 80%. The survival rate of encapsulated probiotics compared to the free form was significantly increased after exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The viability results of probiotics in kefir were very similar to results obtained from simulated gastrointestinal conditions, while the encapsulated form of probiotics in kefir showed a consistent increase in viability over 28 days of storage. Overall, products encapsulated with a high percentage of gum showed better taste acceptance than uncoated and alginate-coated samples. Likewise, samples containing microencapsulated probiotics also generally had good overall acceptability. Based on these results, it can be concluded that Bene gum is an excellent candidate for the preparation of various biocomposites and nanoparticles.