Microencapsulation of Bacteriocinogenic Probiotics Using Hemicellulosic Fibers from Sugarcane Bagasse

• Grant number: 24/14745-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira
• Grantee: Carlos Miguel Nóbrega Mendonça
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/25511-1 - Bioprospecting of bacteriocin-producing bacteria: from culture optimization to the application in animal production systems, AP.TEM

Abstract

The global fight against zoonotic diseases and the environmental impact of industrial livestock farming highlight the importance of integrated practices that involve the prudent use of antibiotics and sustainable interventions focused on animal gut health. In this context, the use of probiotic bacteria in livestock has shown promise as a prophylactic and therapeutic alternative to antibiotics. Recent studies indicate that bacteriocinogenic probiotics can improve gut health, optimize digestion, and strengthen animals' immune systems. However, the effectiveness of probiotics can be compromised by the loss of cell viability during processing, storage, and exposure to adverse gastrointestinal conditions, such as stomach acidity, digestive enzymes, and bile salts. Microencapsulation emerges as an effective solution to protect probiotics, allowing their controlled release in the intestine.In recent years, the importance of dietary fibers in the gut health of non-ruminant animals has been recognized. These fibers, which resist digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract, stimulate the growth of specific probiotics in the gut microbiota, such as Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal infections. Sugarcane bagasse, a byproduct of the sugar and ethanol industry, stands out as a promising source of fibers due to its abundance, low cost, and high content of fermentable carbohydrates. Besides the numerous potential applications in various sectors, such as food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries, hemicellulose-a fiber present in sugarcane bagasse composed mainly of arabinoxylans-has a high fermentation potential by the intestinal microbiota.In this context, the objective of this work plan is to develop methods for extracting dietary fibers from sugarcane bagasse and using them in the encapsulation of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LABs). The developed delivery systems propose not only a capsule capable of releasing probiotics in the intestine but also include a functional and modulatory action of the dietary fibers integrated into them.