Study of the Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Artisanal Colonial Cheese and Evaluation of Microencapsulation as a Protective Method Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions

Artisanal colonial cheese (ACC), produced from raw milk, retains its native microbiota throughout maturation, with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) being predominant, many of which exhibit probiotic potential. In this study, ten LAB strains isolated from ACC matured for 14 and 21 days were characterized and identified as Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Levilactobacillus brevis, and Pediococcus acidilactici. The strains were Gram-positive, catalase-negative, lacked phenotypic virulence factors (hemolysin, mucinase, and gelatinase), and showed sensitivity to at least two classes of antibiotics. They also exhibited high tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, along with strong auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity. The selected strains were microencapsulated by spray drying using inulin as a carrier agent. The resulting microparticles displayed predominantly spherical morphology and diameters ranging from 1.19 to 5.71 µm. Post-processing viability ranged from 76% to 99%, with cell counts remaining above 6 log CFU/g for up to 45 days under refrigeration. Storage at 25 °C significantly reduced cell survival. FTIR, XRD, and TGA/DTGA analyses confirmed the physicochemical stability of the microcapsules. Overall, the findings highlight ACC as a relevant source of safe and potentially probiotic LAB. Microencapsulation with inulin proved to be an effective strategy for preserving strain viability and stability, supporting their potential application in functional foods.