Synbiotic microcapsules using agavins and inulin as wall materials for Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium breve: Viability, physicochemical properties, and resistance to in vitro oro‐gastrointestinal transit

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of the prebiotics agavins and inulin as wall materials to confer protection to the probiotics Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium breve to produce synbiotic microcapsules by spray drying, besides to evaluate their resistance to the in vitro oro‐gastrointestinal transit. Viability and survival were determined for different spray drying conditions. Hygroscopicity, solubility, moisture content, water activity, wettability, morphology, and particle size were analyzed. Synbiotic microcapsules showed a microorganisms concentration 9–10 log CFU/g for L. casei and 10–11 log CFU/g for B. breve, in addition to appropriate physicochemical properties. After the oro‐gastrointestinal transit assay, synbiotic microcapsules presented viabilities above 8 log CFU/g. Besides the prebiotics benefits, all the synbiotic microcapsules produced in this study presented a microorganisms concentration higher than required to exert beneficial effects on consumers' health, thus being a good option for further potential applications as functional food ingredients or as dietary adjuncts. Novelty impact statement Its novelty relies on prebiotic agavins as the only wall material to protect probiotics by spray drying, besides the recent use of agavins in the food industry. Agavins provided higher protection in the in vitro oro‐gastrointestinal transit assay than inulin.