Eco-friendly microencapsulation of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei using Ficus pumila seed extract: A novel plant-based delivery system enhancing probiotic stability and gastrointestinal tolerance

Vet World Vol.18 July-2025 Article - 24

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(7): 2039-2050

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.2039-2050

Watcharapong Mitsuwan^1,2,3

, Chonticha Romyasamit^3,4

, Rungruedee Kimseng⁵

, Tanakamol Mahawan^1,2

, and Sasi Vimon^1,2

1. Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand.

2. One Health Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand.

3. Center of Excellence in Innovation of Essential Oil and Bio-active Compound, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand.

4. School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand.

5. Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.

Background and Aim: Probiotic viability remains a critical challenge during gastrointestinal (GI) transit, storage, and feed processing. Conventional encapsulation materials often fail under acidic and thermal stress. This study aimed to develop and characterize a novel, eco-friendly microencapsulation system using Ficus pumila (FP) seed extract as a natural encapsulating matrix for Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (LP) WU2502, enhancing its functional resilience and storage stability.

Materials and Methods: Microcapsules containing LP and FP were formulated through ionic gelation using calcium chloride. Physicochemical properties were assessed using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR). Functional evaluations included encapsulation efficiency (EE), swelling kinetics, controlled release in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, stress tolerance (acid, bile, enzymes, thermal), and viability during 60-day storage at 4°C and 25°C.

Results: The LP/FP microcapsules demonstrated high EE (80.5%) and spherical morphology (~200 μm). FTIR confirmed the presence of ionic and hydrogen bonding in the matrix. The system exhibited pH-responsive swelling and controlled release, reaching 89.17% cumulative release in intestinal fluid. Encapsulated cells showed significantly improved tolerance to acidic pH, bile salts, digestive enzymes, and heat compared to free cells (p < 0.05). After 60 days, the viability of encapsulated cells remained above 60% at both storage temperatures, while free cell viability dropped by over 85%.

Conclusion: FP seed extract offers a biodegradable, plant-derived alternative for probiotic encapsulation. The developed LP/FP system effectively enhances probiotic survival under GI and thermal stress and during extended storage. These results support its application as a sustainable delivery platform for animal feed and functional food formulations.

Keywords: Ficus pumila, gastrointestinal stability, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, plant-based matrix, probiotic microencapsulation, storage viability, thermal resistance.

How to cite this article: Mitsuwan W, Romyasamit C, Kimseng R, Mahawan T, and Vimon S (2025) Eco-friendly microencapsulation of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei using Ficus pumila seed extract: A novel plant-based delivery system enhancing probiotic stability and gastrointestinal tolerance, Veterinary World, 18(7):2039-2050.

Received: 20-04-2025 Accepted: 24-06-2025 Published online: 27-07-2025

Corresponding author: Sasi Vimon E-mail: sasi.vi@wu.ac.th

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.2039-2050

Copyright: Mitsuwan, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.