Abstract:A water-in-oil bigel structure was constructed with a glycerol monostearate (GMS)-based oleogel and a xanthan-gum-based hydrogel to encapsulate Lactobacillus plantarum in the internal aqueous phase. The structure of the bigel system was modulated by changing the concentration of GMS. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and rheological properties of the system were characterized. The protective effect of the system on the viability of probiotics was explored through simulated in vitro digestion experiments. The results showed that the homogeneity, stress resistance, crystallinity, and system stability of the bigel samples improved with increasing GMS concentration; however, the system stability decreased when the GMS concentration exceeded 10%. After gastrointestinal digestion in the simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion experiments, no viable probiotics were detected in the free probiotics samples, while the counts of viable probiotics were higher than 7.5 log CFU/g in all samples with probiotics embedded in the aqueous phase of the bigel system. The count of viable probiotics after gastrointestinal digestion and their release in the small intestine varied with the GMS concentration, with higher probiotic viability and release in samples with higher GMS concentrations. These results suggest that regulating the GMS concentration in the bigel system can modulate the viability of the embedded probiotics and their release in the intestine. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of probiotic delivery systems and functional foods.
