Development and characterization of a functional oat milk-based cereal dessert fortified with microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum and Balangu Shirazi (Lallemantia royleana) gum

Abstract This study aimed to develop a functional oat milk–based cereal dessert fortified with microencapsulated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Balangu Shirazi ( Lallemantia royleana ) gum (BSG), and to evaluate its physicochemical, microbiological, sensory, and textural stability during refrigerated storage. BSG was characterized as a polysaccharide-rich hydrocolloid (moisture 6.23%, ash 7.12%, protein 2.08%, sugars 64.71%) with notable phenolic content (4.49%) and antioxidant activity (21.01% DPPH inhibition). DLS analysis of the diluted dispersion revealed a dominant colloidal population with a hydrodynamic diameter of 46.08 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.12 ± 0.02. This measurement reflected the colloidal species present in the dispersion rather than the dimensions of intact probiotic-containing microcapsules. Over 21 days at 4 °C, the combined formulations showed improved moisture retention and compositional stability, maintaining high presumptive LAB counts during storage. Within the probiotic-containing formulations, increasing BSG concentration was associated with greater moisture retention and higher ash and protein contents. Principal component analysis indicated that the combined formulations mitigated storage-induced sensory deterioration, while textural properties shifted toward softer yet acceptable structures. Overall, the combined incorporation of BSG and microencapsulated L. plantarum enabled the development of a stable dairy-free cereal dessert with improved storage performance. While this study focused on evaluating the combined effect of both treatments, future work isolating BSG-only and probiotic-only formulations could offer further insight into their individual contributions to product stability.