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Novel Biopolymer Matrices for Microencapsulation of Phages: Enhanced Protection Against Acidity and Protease Activity
Author(s) -
Dini Cecilia,
Islan Germán A.,
de Urraza Patricio J.,
Castro Guillermo R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201200109
Subject(s) - biopolymer , chemistry , pepsin , pectin , polymer , natural polymers , protease , oleic acid , polysaccharide , food science , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , chromatography , enzyme , organic chemistry , biology
Phage therapy by oral administration requires enhanced resistance of phages to the harsh gastric conditions. The aim of this work is the microencapsulation of phages in natural biopolymeric matrices as a protective barrier against the gastric environment. Alginate and pectin are used as base polymers. Further emulsification with oleic acid or coating with a different biopolymer is also studied. Emulsified pectin shows the maximum encapsulation efficiency and the highest protection against acidity, leaving more than 10 3 active phages after 30 min exposure at pH = 1.6, and protects phage from pepsin activity (4.2 mg mL −1 ). Non‐encapsulated phages are fully inactivated at pH = 1.6 or with pepsin (0.5 mg mL −1 ) after 10 min.