Recent advances in nanofiber-based probiotic delivery systems

Probiotics are known for their health benefit on the host, whereas their viability and functionality are influenced by various complex factors such as acids, bile salts, oxidative stress, and during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, nanofiber has emerged as a promising delivery system to improve the performance of probiotics through entrapment within a matrix of biopolymeric material. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent progress on probiotic encapsulation using nanofibers. Particular emphasis is given to the utilization of natural biopolymers, synthetic polymers, and their combination as wall materials of nanofibers. The properties, stabilizing mechanisms, and influencing factors of each type of the nanofibers are discussed. The role of prebiotic materials in nanofibers is also described. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of nanofibers in the probiotic encapsulation are proposed.