Judul: Synthesis and Characterization of Ulvan Alginate Hydrogel Beads with Encapsulated Probiotics.
Abstrak: Minuman probiotik memiliki berbagai keuntungan bagi saluran pencernaan. Namun, terdapat masalah pada kepastian kelangsungan hidup probiotik dan fungsionalitasnya selama melalui saluran pencernaan hingga mencapai usus besar, sehingga diperlukan metode alternatif untuk mempertahankan kelangsungan hidup probiotik yaitu enkapsulasi hydrogel beads dari biopolimer alami yaitu alginat dan ulvan. Hydrogel beads yang dikonstruksi dari alginat dan ulvan diprediksi akan sesuai dengan tantangan sebagai bioreaktor probiotik yang dapat menstimulasi kesehatan pencernaan manusia karena secara kimia dapat dikontrol porositas dan kapasitas retensinya. Pengaplikasian hydrogel beads dalam penelitian ini dilakukan pada minuman tisane sargassum. Penelitian bertujuan menentukan karakteristik konsentrasi ulvan terpilih, ketahanan bakteri probiotik terenkapsulasi dalam simulated gastric fluid (SGF) dan simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) serta karakteristik hydrogel beads di dalam minuman tisane sargassum. Tahapan penelitian terdiri dari karakterisasi hydrogel beads dengan konsentrasi ulvan (1%, 2%, 3%, dan 4%) dan alginat 2% serta pengaplikasian hydrogel beads pada tisane sargassum. Hydrogel beads ulvan alginat menghasilkan fraksi gel dan rasio swelling tertinggi sebesar 98,8% dan 19,7%. Hydrogel beads dapat mempertahankan tingkat kelangsungan hidup bakteri probiotik pada kedua kondisi yaitu SGF dan SIF sebesar 3,41×10^7 log CFU/g dan 0,14×10^7 log CFU/g. Hasil analisis sensori menghasilkan formulasi terpilih dengan perlakuan ukuran hydrogel beads R2 (sedang) dengan ukuran 9,05 ±0,92 mm, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa ukuran hydrogel beads memengaruhi tingkat kesukaan panelis., Probiotic beverages offer a range of advantages for the digestive system. However, issues arise concerning the viability and functionality of probiotics as they traverse the digestive tract to reach the large intestine. As a result, alternative methods are required to sustain probiotic viability, such as encapsulating them in hydrogel beads made from natural biopolymers like alginate and ulvan. The construction of hydrogel beads from alginate and ulvan is predicted to address challenges as a probiotic bioreactor that can promote human digestive health, primarily due to the controllable chemical properties of porosity and retention capacity. In this study, hydrogel beads were applied within the context of sargassum tisane, a beverage. The research aimed to determine the characteristics of the selected ulvan concentrations, the resilience of encapsulated probiotic bacteria within simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), and the attributes of hydrogel beads within sargassum tisane. The research phases encompassed the characterization of hydrogel beads with varying ulvan concentrations (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and a constant 2% alginate concentration. Subsequently, the hydrogel beads were introduced into the sargassum tisane. The hydrogel beads composed of ulvan and alginate yielded the highest gel fraction and swelling ratio at 98.8% and 19.7%, respectively. These hydrogel beads effectively maintained the survival levels of probiotic bacteria under both SGF and SIF conditions, registering at 3.41×10^7 log CFU/g and 0.14×10^7 log CFU/g, respectively. Sensory analysis results identified a preferred formulation, indicating that the size of hydrogel beads, specifically the R2 (medium) size at 9.05 ± 0.92 mm, significantly influenced the panelists' preference levels. This underscores the impact of hydrogel bead size on palatability perception.
Keyword: alginate, bacterial probiotic, hydrogel beads, ulvan