Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability

To enhance <i>Lactobacillus paracei</i> F50 viability during spray drying and long-term storage, this study evaluates whey protein (WP) crosslinked with four polysaccharides (κ-carrageenan (KC), xanthan gum (XG), low-methoxyl pectin (LMP), sodium alginate (SA)) for the first time as prot...

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Main Authors: Xinrui Zhang, Xiaowei Peng, Huijing Chen, Aijun Li, Gang Yang, Jianquan Kan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1555
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author Xinrui Zhang
Xiaowei Peng
Huijing Chen
Aijun Li
Gang Yang
Jianquan Kan
author_facet Xinrui Zhang
Xiaowei Peng
Huijing Chen
Aijun Li
Gang Yang
Jianquan Kan
author_sort Xinrui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description To enhance <i>Lactobacillus paracei</i> F50 viability during spray drying and long-term storage, this study evaluates whey protein (WP) crosslinked with four polysaccharides (κ-carrageenan (KC), xanthan gum (XG), low-methoxyl pectin (LMP), sodium alginate (SA)) for the first time as protective matrices for <i>L. paracasei</i> F50 during spray drying. The four kinds of crosslinked wall materials were compared by various characterization methods. Among them, the WP-κ-carrageenan (WP-KC) composite exhibited optimal performance, forming a uniform microcapsule with high colloidal stability. After spray drying, WP-KC achieved the highest viable cell density (9.62 lg CFU/g) and survival rate (91.85%). Notably, WP-KC maintained viability above 8.68 lg CFU/g after 120 days of storage at 4 °C, surpassing other formulations. Structural analysis showed that the WP-KC microcapsule was completely encapsulated without breaking or leaking and confirmed the molecular interaction between WP and KC. Under the condition of high temperatures (≤142.63 °C), the wall material of the microcapsule does not undergo any endothermic or exothermic process and is in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, with excellent stability and good dispersion. Additionally, microcapsules exhibited enhanced resistance to thermal stress (55–75 °C) and UV irradiation, higher than that of free cells. These results highlight WP-KC as an industrially viable encapsulation system for improving probiotic stability in functional foods, offering critical insights into polysaccharide–protein interactions for optimized delivery systems.
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spelling doaj-art-78bb77fb39bf499d970742da2af85a072025-08-20T02:59:08ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-04-01149155510.3390/foods14091555Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and StabilityXinrui Zhang0Xiaowei Peng1Huijing Chen2Aijun Li3Gang Yang4Jianquan Kan5College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaTo enhance <i>Lactobacillus paracei</i> F50 viability during spray drying and long-term storage, this study evaluates whey protein (WP) crosslinked with four polysaccharides (κ-carrageenan (KC), xanthan gum (XG), low-methoxyl pectin (LMP), sodium alginate (SA)) for the first time as protective matrices for <i>L. paracasei</i> F50 during spray drying. The four kinds of crosslinked wall materials were compared by various characterization methods. Among them, the WP-κ-carrageenan (WP-KC) composite exhibited optimal performance, forming a uniform microcapsule with high colloidal stability. After spray drying, WP-KC achieved the highest viable cell density (9.62 lg CFU/g) and survival rate (91.85%). Notably, WP-KC maintained viability above 8.68 lg CFU/g after 120 days of storage at 4 °C, surpassing other formulations. Structural analysis showed that the WP-KC microcapsule was completely encapsulated without breaking or leaking and confirmed the molecular interaction between WP and KC. Under the condition of high temperatures (≤142.63 °C), the wall material of the microcapsule does not undergo any endothermic or exothermic process and is in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, with excellent stability and good dispersion. Additionally, microcapsules exhibited enhanced resistance to thermal stress (55–75 °C) and UV irradiation, higher than that of free cells. These results highlight WP-KC as an industrially viable encapsulation system for improving probiotic stability in functional foods, offering critical insights into polysaccharide–protein interactions for optimized delivery systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1555whey proteinκ-carrageenan<i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50spray drying
spellingShingle Xinrui Zhang
Xiaowei Peng
Huijing Chen
Aijun Li
Gang Yang
Jianquan Kan
Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
Foods
whey protein
κ-carrageenan
<i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50
spray drying
title Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
title_full Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
title_fullStr Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
title_full_unstemmed Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
title_short Protective Effect of Whey Protein and Polysaccharide Complexes on <i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50: Comparative Analysis of Powder Characteristics and Stability
title_sort protective effect of whey protein and polysaccharide complexes on i lactobacillus paracasei i f50 comparative analysis of powder characteristics and stability
topic whey protein
κ-carrageenan
<i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i> F50
spray drying
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/9/1555
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