Advanced chitosan-based biopolymer systems for probiotic microencapsulation: stability enhancement and targeted release approaches.

Context: Probiotic microencapsulation is an advanced technique designed to protect live probiotic microorganisms by enclosing them within a protective matrix, typically composed of biocompatible biopolymers.

Objective: This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in bio-polymer coatings for probiotic microencapsulation, with a focus on chitosan and its synergistic combinations with other materials.

Methods: This methods highlights the necessity for continued innovation in bio-polymer coatings, emphasizing the development of bio-responsive materials, AI-driven formulation strategies, and next-generation encapsulation technologies to meet the evolving demands of functional foods and precision therapeutics.

Results: Probiotic microencapsulation plays a critical role in protecting probiotics from environmental stresses, improving stability, and ensuring targeted delivery. Innovations in chitosan-based encapsulation, including its combination with bio-polymers such as alginate, gelatin, and pectin, have enhanced encapsulation efficiency, controlled release, and probiotic viability. Cutting-edge techniques such as nanotechnology, stimuli-responsive coatings, and hybrid bio-polymers are explored for their potential to optimize probiotic performance in food and pharmaceutical applications.

Conclusions: Despite these advancements, obstacles remain in ensuring consistent release profiles, mitigating the inhibitory effects of chitosan on certain probiotic strains, and optimizing large-scale production while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The need for personalized probiotic therapies has driven research into adaptive encapsulation systems tailored to individual gut microbiota compositions.