Membrane formation by interfacial cross‐linking of chitosan for microencapsulation of Lactococcus lactis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria were microencapsulated within cross-linked chitosan membranes formed by emulsification/interfacial polymerization. The technique was modified and optimized to provide biocompatible conditions during encapsulation involving the use of mineral oils as the continuous phase and chitosan as the membrane material. Chitosan cross-linked with hexamethylene diisocyanate or glutaraldehyde resulted in strong membranes, with a narrow size distribution about a mean diameter of 150 μm. Cell viability and activity was demonstrated by the acidification of milk. Loss of acidification activity during microencapsulation was recovered in subsequent fermentations to levels similar to that of free cell fermentations. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.