Impact of nanotechnology on probiotic lactic acid bacteria viability and vitamin stability

Abstract

This paper reviews the application of nanotechnology-based delivery systems and two persistent challenges in functional food science: maintaining the viability of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and preserving the chemical stability of essential vitamins throughout processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit. Probiotic LAB species including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum, must reach the colon at a minimum of 10⁶–10⁷ CFU/g to confer health benefits, a threshold routinely undermined by heat, acidity, and bile salt exposure. Vitamins are equally fragile, succumbing to oxidation, photodegradation, and thermal decomposition under standard food manufacturing conditions. Three major classes of nanocarrier are examined: lipid-based systems (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions), polymer-based systems (chitosan, alginate, and Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles, and protein-based matrices (whey protein, casein, and zein nanoparticles). Nanoencapsulation had been reported to consistently improve probiotic survival and vitamin retention compare to their unprotected counterparts. The co-encapsulation of probiotics and vitamins within a single nanoplatform is identified as an emerging strategy offering synergistic protective and nutritional benefits. Current challenges including production scalability, regulatory frameworks, and consumer acceptance are discussed alongside priority directions for future research.