The Potential of Alginate and Corn Starch as Microencapsulant Materials to Protect The Viability of Probiotic Pichia kudriavzevii UNJCC Y-109

Microencapsulation improves the viability of probiotics in processed products and the digestive tract by protecting cells from harsh environments, including gastric acid, bile salts, and high temperatures. This study evaluated the effectiveness of alginate and cornstarch combinations for encapsulating Pichia kudriavzevii UNJCC Y-109 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae UNJCC Y-87 yeast cells as probiotics. Beads formed through encapsulation were characterized for color, shape, surface, and diameter, and their viability was tested under acidic pH and bile salt exposure. The beads exhibited irregular, oval-round shapes, smooth surfaces, and colors ranging from cold grey to white, with diameters of 1.56 ± 0.63 mm to 3.46 ± 0.06 mm. Encapsulation effectiveness was highest for P. kudriavzevii using 1% alginate and 3% cornstarch, yielding 89.82 ± 1.49% viability. For S. cerevisiae, 2% alginate and 3% cornstarch achieved optimal results with 92.74 ± 0.30% viability. Acidic pH tests showed survival rates exceeding 90% after 3 hours, while bile salt exposure at 2% concentration maintained over 80% viability. These findings demonstrate that alginate and cornstarch combinations effectively enhance the resilience of encapsulated probiotics, making them suitable for applications in functional foods and therapeutic products.