ISSN: 2329-8901
Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
 Research Article   
								
																Encapsulation of Probiotics in Lipid-based Microparticles Using Supercritical Fluid Plasticization 
																Author(s): Markus C. Labuschagne* and Mapitsi S. Thantsha             
								
																
						 A novel method for the encapsulation of probiotics has been developed  using a supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2)-based  Particles from Gas Saturated Solutions (PGSS) process. The excipients used in  microencapsulation using scCO2 are  usually pharmaceutical-grade polymers that need Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  approval. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of two new food-grade  materials with Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status as candidate  excipients for encapsulation of probiotic cultures. Compritol E 472 ATO and  Vegetal BM 297 ATO were used to encapsulate Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 using scCO2 as a plasticizer in the PGSS process. The  resulting microparticles were characterized based on morphological properties,  particle size distribution as well as encapsulation efficiency. Compritol E 472  ATO was found to b.. View More»
						  
																DOI:
								10.35248/2329-8901.22.10.281