Development of Calcium Alginate Hydrogels with Chlorella, Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) and Encapsulated Probiotics in Edible Jelly-Gums with Enhanced Bioactivity

This study aimed to develop functional calcium alginate hydrogels incorporating <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>, carob (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i> L.), and encapsulated <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> in edible jelly gums with enhanced bioactivity and probiotic viability. Laboratory-prepared jellies containing encapsulated probiotics (encapsulated LAB-Jelly) and those with free cells (LAB-Jelly) were compared with a commercial jelly sample. The formulations were evaluated for phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and antiradical activity, texture, sensory characteristics, and probiotic survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The encapsulated LAB-Jelly exhibited significantly higher total phenolic content (4.6 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (25.9 ± 0.1 mg Fe⁺²/g) compared to the commercial product, mainly due to the presence of carob and <i>Chlorella</i>. Texture analysis showed lower hardness (21.8 N) but comparable elasticity (89.3%) and cohesiveness (72.8%) comparative to commercial jelly gum, while sensory evaluation confirmed their favorable acceptability and non-perceptible bead presence. Microencapsulation achieved 75% efficiency and improved probiotic survival during gastrointestinal simulation after 18 h (14% reduction in Logcfu/mL compared to 30% of the free probiotics). Overall, the combination of alginate encapsulation, <i>Chlorella</i>, and carob produced edible jelly gums with improved antioxidant and textural properties, offering a promising delivery system for functional foods enriched with probiotics and plant-based bioactives.