{"title":"Novel silk fibroin/chitosan microgel for enhanced probiotic delivery: Improved stability, viability, and targeted release in gastrointestinal conditions.","authors":"Zhu Zeng, Tianhao Wang, Yi Yang, Yexuan He, Shuwen Deng, Fangyin Dai, Xiaoling Tong","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124191","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Herein, a novel hybrid microgel based on silk fibroin (SF) and chitosan (CS) was developed for encapsulating Lactobacillus paracasei and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The microgel was fabricated via emulsification and transglutaminase (TGase)-catalyzed gelation, enabling covalent crosslinking between SF and CS. Microstructural characterization confirmed the successful encapsulation of probiotic cells within homogeneous spherical matrices. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the formation of isopeptide and hydrogen bonds between SF and CS. These interactions contributed to the enhanced mechanical strength of the microgel. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated superior thermal stability of the microgels compared with individual SF or CS components. The microgel exhibited notable antioxidant properties owing to the synergistic free radical-scavenging effects of CS, SF, and SF-derived hydrolyzed peptides (SFPs), which collectively protected encapsulated probiotics from oxidative damage. Assessments of thermal resistance and long-term storage stability revealed significant improvements in probiotic viability under pasteurization and extended storage. Furthermore, the microgel effectively protected the probiotics against simulated gastric acid (pH 2.0) and bile salts while enabling their controlled release in the intestine (>90 % probiotics released in simulated intestinal fluid). These findings suggest that the SF/CS-based microgel is a promising delivery platform for probiotics, with enhanced stability, bioavailability, and functionality in food applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"368 Pt 2","pages":"124191"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Carbohydrate Polymers","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124191","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/8/7 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, APPLIED","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Herein, a novel hybrid microgel based on silk fibroin (SF) and chitosan (CS) was developed for encapsulating Lactobacillus paracasei and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The microgel was fabricated via emulsification and transglutaminase (TGase)-catalyzed gelation, enabling covalent crosslinking between SF and CS. Microstructural characterization confirmed the successful encapsulation of probiotic cells within homogeneous spherical matrices. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the formation of isopeptide and hydrogen bonds between SF and CS. These interactions contributed to the enhanced mechanical strength of the microgel. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated superior thermal stability of the microgels compared with individual SF or CS components. The microgel exhibited notable antioxidant properties owing to the synergistic free radical-scavenging effects of CS, SF, and SF-derived hydrolyzed peptides (SFPs), which collectively protected encapsulated probiotics from oxidative damage. Assessments of thermal resistance and long-term storage stability revealed significant improvements in probiotic viability under pasteurization and extended storage. Furthermore, the microgel effectively protected the probiotics against simulated gastric acid (pH 2.0) and bile salts while enabling their controlled release in the intestine (>90 % probiotics released in simulated intestinal fluid). These findings suggest that the SF/CS-based microgel is a promising delivery platform for probiotics, with enhanced stability, bioavailability, and functionality in food applications.
期刊介绍:
Carbohydrate Polymers stands as a prominent journal in the glycoscience field, dedicated to exploring and harnessing the potential of polysaccharides with applications spanning bioenergy, bioplastics, biomaterials, biorefining, chemistry, drug delivery, food, health, nanotechnology, packaging, paper, pharmaceuticals, medicine, oil recovery, textiles, tissue engineering, wood, and various aspects of glycoscience.
The journal emphasizes the central role of well-characterized carbohydrate polymers, highlighting their significance as the primary focus rather than a peripheral topic. Each paper must prominently feature at least one named carbohydrate polymer, evident in both citation and title, with a commitment to innovative research that advances scientific knowledge.