Grant to advance probiotic microencapsulation tech

UK firm Xampla and health research centre Quadram Institute have received funding to work towards advancing plant polymer technology for probiotic microencapsulation aimed at improving gut health. The technology is designed to solve the traditional industry problem of maintaining viability of probiotics throughout manufacturing, transit and storage.

Probiotics are highly sensitive to factors such as oxygen exposure, pH imbalance and pasteurisation, making it challenging to maintain their viability from production through shelf life and digestion.

The funding will help develop the microcapsule material, which protects probiotics in food and drink from degradation to ensure they reach the small intestine with full efficacy.  The development aims to extend the shelf life of refrigerated and ambient probiotics while ensuring enteric release once consumed, maximising health benefits.

The grant is funded by Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the Diet and Health Innovation competition.

Xampla’s microencapsulation technology is claimed to have proven effective in protecting vitamin D in fortified drinks for Britvic, a soft drinks company. This technology is designed to ensure product stability even under challenging conditions, such as sunlight exposure.

Professor Arjan Narbad and his translational microbiome research group in the Quadram Institute will bring their expertise in studying the microbial ecology of the gut and its microbiome to the project. Using state-of-the-art facilities, they will model and measure how microencapsulated probiotics in various consumer products impact the microbiome.

Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, said: “Our nutrient microencapsulation technology has already demonstrated remarkable success in encapsulating sensitive compounds such as vitamins. With this grant funding, we aim to advance the probiotic market by ensuring that vital ingredients for gut health can be seamlessly integrated into everyday products.”

Image courtesy of Xampla.