Yuan Ma and colleagues (2015) investigated preparation and application characteristics of microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus as a canine probiotic. Researchers identified optimal preparation conditions as 10% (w/v) wall material at 20 °C, with scanning electron microscopy confirming micropores in the starch-based particles.
In simulated colonic conditions, encapsulated probiotics showed enhanced survival, with released cell counts rising from 2.43 to 9.17 log cfu/g over three hours. When administered to dogs, fecal analysis after ten days showed a 34.8% increase in Lactobacillus acidophilus and a 24.6% reduction in Escherichia coli compared to baseline.
Additionally, levels of putrefactive substances including isovaleric acid, indole, and 3-methylindole decreased by 24%, 16%, and 45%, respectively. These results suggest that microencapsulation not only improves probiotic delivery but also contributes to improved gut health and reduced production of harmful metabolites in dogs.
Source: Ma, Y., Xing, Y., Xu, Q., Wang, T., Cai, Y., Cao, D., & Che, Z. (2015). Preparation and application characteristics of microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus as probiotics for dogs. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 28(1 Suppl), 341–347.
