A microencapsulação consiste na técnica de envolver materiais sólidos, líquidos ou gasosos em pequenas cápsulas que liberam seu conteúdo sob condições controladas. Esta tecnologia tem sido utilizada para manter a estabilidade de probióticos durante o processamento e estocagem dos alimentos, além de aumentar a resistência no decorrer do trato digestório, possibilitando que estes cheguem ao intestino grosso com condições de sobrevivência e colonização. Durante o processo de microencapsulação, a escolha do material encapsulante é uma etapa de grande importância e deve se basear nas características do composto bioativo, na aplicação pretendida e no método de formação das partículas. Existem diversas técnicas que têm sido empregadas na elaboração de microcápsulas e a seleção do método mais adequado deve ser realizada com base nas propriedades físicas e químicas do material que será encapsulado e do agente encapsulante, analisando-se a finalidade de aplicação do ingrediente alimentício. O presente trabalho visa à revisão dos principais métodos e agentes encapsulantes utilizados na microencapsulação de micro-organismos probióticos. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:bactérias ácidos láticos; encapsulação; estabilidade.

Lactobacillus acidophilus La‐5 microencapsulation using rice bran protein (RBP) and maltodextrin (MD) by spray‐drying was studied. The effects of process variables—drying inlet air temperature (x1), inlet flow (x2), and MD:RBP ratio (x3)—on encapsulation efficiency (EE) and viability reduction (VR) during 45 storage days were investigated using a 23 Central Composite Rotatable Design. EE (%) and viable cells number increased when lower drying temperature, higher input flow, and high RBP proportion were applied. The optimum microencapsulation variables were x1 = 78°C, x2 = 0.58 L/hr, and x3 = 10:2.5 w w−1 (EE = 90.26%; VR = 2.64 log cycles). L. acidophilus showed viability during storage, which remained higher than 8 log CFU/g after 45 days at 4 ± 1°C. Microencapsulated L. acidophilus presented thermal stability up to 240°C and its survival in a simulated gastric and intestinal fluids solution was greater than its free‐form. The results suggested that MD and RBP provided the microencapsulated microorganism with increased viability. Practical applications Potential health benefits related to probiotic intake have been recognized and confirmed. However, to achieve such benefits, the probiotic must survive in food matrices used as vehicles for its intake and passage through the digestive system. Thus, microencapsulation is a promising alternative to ensure probiotic viability, mainly when coating materials may resist adverse extrinsic conditions. For industrial food application, biocompatible and biodegradable materials are needed to provide the bioactive compounds microencapsulation. Rice bran protein and maltodextrin blend as encapsulating agents for probiotics encapsulation has not yet been reported on the literature. The results showed that microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus LA‐5 had its viability increase during storage and in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, as well as in thermal stability, compared to free probiotic cells. The technique was deemed robust to probiotic protection, allowing for the use of microcapsules in functional foods production in different food matrices.