Evaluating the Cryoprotective Encapsulation of the Lactic Acid Bacteria in Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

To expect the positive physiological functions from probiotic consumption, the lactic acid bacteria should survive, partially, in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This study aimed to evaluate the viable stability of probiotic bacterial cells (Lactobacillus plantarum MG989, L. fermentum MG901, Streptococcus thermophilus MG5140, Lactococcus lactis MG5125, and Enterococcus faecium MG89-2) that were coated with sodium alginate and pumpkin powder (SP) by comparing their resistance in simulated intestinal fluid (with pancreatin) and simulated gastric fluid (with pepsin) in vitro with that of the non-coated free cells. The viable stability was determined by counting cells with colony forming unit (CFU) from agar plate culture of SP coated and non-coated free cells in simulated GI conditions. Survival rate enhanced up to 28.7% and 14.0% in the condition of simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid, respectively. The results showed that the SP coated cells exhibited considerably greater resistance to the simulated gastric fluid than the activated cells (p < 0.001), showing that the SP coating may enhance the survival of probiotic bacteria after consumption during their transit through the GI tract after freeze-drying process.