Co-encapsulation of Lactobacillus casei and tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil in calcium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel beads and its application in orange juice

Lacticaseibacillus casei, flaxseed oil, and tocotrienol are health-beneficial bioactives that can be added to food products to enhance the functional properties of the foods but these bioactive ingredients are highly unstable during food processing and handling. The aim of this study was to co-encapsulate Lacticaseibacillus casei and tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil in calcium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel beads by extrusion-dripping technique and apply the co-encapsulates in orange juices. Co-encapsulation protected the viability of Lacticaseibacillus casei and oxidative stability of the tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil in orange juice during storage. In addition, the physicochemical properties of the orange juice added with co-encapsulates were not significantly changed, and more than 50% of sensory panellists preferred orange juice with functional ingredients.