Development and evaluation the efficacy of a water-soluble probiotic microencapsulation prototype for pediococcus acidilactici isolated from broiler chickens

Probiotics are live bacteria that can be given orally to promote gastrointestinal health. A limitation of probiotic use is their diminished efficiency following the loss of live cells during high-temperature processing and storage. Microencapsulation technology has been created to protect probiotic cells, preserve their viability, and maintain their efficacy following manufacture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a water-soluble microencapsulation method using gum Arabic (GA) and skim milk (SKM) over a three-month storage period following processing. Four strains of Pediococcus acidilactici (BYF26, BYF20, BF9, and BF14) that were typical lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from the chicken gut were used. After processing, their survivability and probiotic qualities were assessed from two weeks to three months of storage at varied temperatures. As shown by scanning electron microscopy, spray-drying produced a spherical, white-yellow powder. The encapsulation efficacy (EE percent) was greatest for a coating containing 30% gum Arabic (GA): 30% skim milk (SKM) (w/v) (GA:SKM30) compared to lower concentrations of the two ingredients. Coating with GA:SKM30 (w/v) significantly enhanced BYF26 survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions (pH 2.5-3) and maintained higher survival rates compared to non-encapsulated cells at an artificial intestinal juices (AIJ) condition of pH 6.7. De-encapsulation tests indicated that the encapsulated powder dissolved in water while keeping viable cell counts within the effective range of 106 for 6 hours. In addition, following three months storage at 4°C, microencapsulation of BYF26 in GA:SKM30 maintained the number of viable cells and the preparation’s antibacterial efficacy against pathogenic bacteria, specifically Salmonella spp. In conclusion, our prototype for water-soluble probiotic microencapsulation effectively maintains LAB characteristics and survival rates, demonstrating its potential for use in preserving probiotic strains that can be used in livestock such as chickens.