ENHANCING VIABILITY OF PROBIOTICS DURING FOOD PROCESSING AND DELIVERY TO THE COLON USING A NOVEL 3D FOOD PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

The goal of this project is to develop an innovative platform technology based on 3D food printing to encapsulate probiotics to enhance their stability during food processing, storage, and throughout the gastroinestinaltract.The objectives toward achieving this goal are: (1)Create starch microgel beads coated with alginate-pectin using a 3D printer equipped with a coaxial nozzle, and compare them with the conventional microgel formation method,(2)Determine optimal conditions for encapsulating a model probiotic, B. bifidum, and a probiotics cocktail in alginate-pectin microgels using 3D food printing, and then evaluate surface coating with an additional lipid (trilaurin) layer, and(3)Fortify yogurt and cookies with encapsulated probiotics and evaluate their viability during processing, storage, and simulated digestion.