title: Effect of acidification on the protection of alginate-encapsulated probiotic based on emulsification/internal gelation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The method of emulsification/internal gelation is commonly used to prepare alginate microspheres for lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This paper focused on the influence of acidification parameters, i.e. acid/Ca molar ratio and acidification time, on the physical properties and cell protection efficiency of microspheres and their correlations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With increasing acid/Ca molar ratio and acidification time, the average diameter of microspheres decreased and their mechanical strength increased. Interestingly, wet alginate microspheres shrank in simulated gastric juice (SGJ) while they swelled in bile salts solution (BS). The shrinkage or swelling ratio decreased with increasing mechanical strength. Correlation analysis showed that the encapsulated cell survivals in both SGJ and BS were positively correlated with the mechanical strength of microspheres but negatively with the shrinkage or swelling ratio. BacLight LIVE/DEAD assay suggested that the viability of encapsulated cells in fresh, SGJ-treated and BS-treated microspheres was closely related to cell membrane integrity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acidification is a key step during microsphere preparation, which strongly affected the physical properties of alginate microspheres, resulting in different cell protection efficiency. The resulting well-protected LAB can be applied in probiotics foods. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Glyn O. Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre at HUT, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
authors.forename: Fangning
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Glyn O. Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre at HUT, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.|Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Industrial Fermentation, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Glyn O. Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre at HUT, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.|Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Industrial Fermentation, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
authors.forename: Yapeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Glyn O. Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre at HUT, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
authors.forename: Katsuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishinari
authors.affiliation: Phillips Hydrocolloid Research Centre, Glyndwr University, Plas Coch, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AW, UK.
authors.forename: Glyn O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology, Technology Center of Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd, 1518 Jiangchangxi Road, Shanghai, 200436, China.
authors.forename: Zhengjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Perfume and Aroma Technology, Shanghai Institute of Technology, No. 100 HaiQuan Road, Shanghai, 201418, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000465:Algorithms; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000737:chemistry*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000032:analysis; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002681:China; D045703:Emulsifying Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004655:Emulsions; D005503:Food Additives / Q000737:chemistry*; D005511:Food Handling; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D005782:Gels; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000254:growth & development*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D050296:Microbial Viability; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D019936:Probiotics / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D045703:Emulsifying Agents; D004655:Emulsions; D005503:Food Additives; D005782:Gels; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: acid/Ca molar ratio; acidification time; emulsification/internal gelation; lactic acid bacteria; micro-encapsulation