MATERIALS innovation company Xampla and the Quadram Institute have been awarded Innovate UK and BBSRC grant funding to advance probiotic microencapsulation technology.
The grant will see Xampla and the Quadram Institute, a food and health research centre, collaborate on developing ‘cutting-edge’ probiotic microcapsules designed to improve gut health.
Xampla explained that probiotics are highly sensitive to factors such as oxygen exposure, pH imbalance, and pasteurisation, making it challenging to maintain their viability from production through shelf-life and digestion.
Traditionally, the industry has been limited to products they can add probiotics to, and the strains they can use. Xampla’s microencapsulation technology will protect probiotics throughout manufacturing, transit, and storage, ensuring they reach consumers with ‘full efficacy’.
Xampla added that this innovation aims to extend the shelf-life of refrigerated and ambient probiotics while ensuring enteric release once consumed.
The company’s microencapsulation technology has proven effective in protecting vitamin D in fortified drinks for Britvic. The tech is said to provide product stability even under challenging conditions, such as sunlight exposure.
Professor Arjan Narbad and his translational microbiome research group in the Quadram Institute will bring their expertise in studying the microbial ecology of the gut and its microbiome to the project. They will model and measure how microencapsulated probiotics in various consumer products impact the microbiome.
Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, said, “Our nutrient microencapsulation technology has already demonstrated remarkable success in encapsulating sensitive compounds such as vitamins. With this grant funding, we aim to advance the probiotic market by ensuring that vital ingredients for gut health can be seamlessly integrated into everyday products.”
Dr Roberto Zanchi, head of business development and commercialisation at the Quadram Institute, added, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Xampla to broaden its microencapsulation technology specifically for probiotics. This partnership will drive forward advancements in improving shelf-life and viability of probiotics, enhancing their efficacy and ultimately improving health outcomes for consumers.”
