Utilizing date pits in microencapsulation: Effect of different variations on Probiotic survivability under in-vitro digestion

The main objective of this study was the encapsulation of probiotics in date pit beads and their subsequent release in the human intestine. The beads were formed using the gravitational dripping technique, and an in-vitro protocol was used to test the digested beads and the release of viable probiotic cells. For the three date varieties, Raziz, Naghal, and Khadrawy, it was found that 0.10 g of date pit powder per 0.20 g of sodium alginate in the solution mixture, namely, a ratio of (0.5:1), resulted in the highest desired viable probiotic cells: log10 5.8, 5.3, and 4.7 CFU/ml, respectively. Conversely Naptit Saif required the least amount of date pit powder in the mixture to obtain the highest viable probiotic cells of log10 6.2 CFU/ml. Thus, the use of date pit powder showed excellent results in terms of encapsulating beneficial probiotics and delivering them to the target organ of the body. Moreover, the encapsulation technique has been approved as a protective procedure for the survival of probiotics in the intestine as the resulting number of bacteria in free cells was zero, implying the presence of no viable probiotic cells after simulating a digestive system with free cells.

Automated summary

The study aimed to encapsulate probiotics in date pit beads and release them in the human intestine. The beads were formed using the gravitational dripping technique, and an in-vitro protocol was used to test the digested beads and release of viable probiotic cells. Optimal results were obtained when using a ratio of 0.10 g of date pit powder per 0.20 g of sodium alginate, resulting in viable probiotic cell counts of log10 5.8, 5.3, and 4.7 CFU/ml for Raziz, Naghal, and Khadrawy date varieties, respectively. Date pit powder showed excellent results in encapsulating probiotics and delivering them to the target organ. Moreover, the encapsulation technique effectively protected the survival of probiotics in the intestine.