Comparison of extrusion and co-extrusion encapsulation techniques to protect Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3 in simulated gastrointestinal fluids

This study aimed to compare two processes for the encapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3 using alginate or a blend of alginate–shellac as the wall material and sunflower oil as the core. The particles were dried and stored for up to 60 days at 25 °C for stability studies, and the survival of the encapsulated probiotics in simulated gastrointestinal fluids was evaluated. The viability of the LA3 encapsulated by co-extrusion using alginate or a blend of alginate–shellac was, respectively, 6.2 and 7.2 log CFU/g (colony-forming units per gram), after 60 days of storage, while the viability of the LA3 encapsulated by extrusion was, respectively, 5.3 and 6.2 log CFU/g. The particles produced with the blend of alginate–shellac presented additional protection to the probiotics, as revealed by the increased survival rates in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Taken together, these data provide a promising alternative for the incorporation of the probiotic L. acidophilus LA3 into new functional foods.