Enhancing probiotic stability of Heyndrickxia coagulans through synbiotic immobilization in bacterial cellulose.

The increasing demand for thermally stable and stress-resistant probiotics has driven interest in novel delivery systems that enhance probiotic survival under adverse conditions. This study focuses on the isolation of a potent bacterial cellulose (BC)-producing strain, Komagataeibacter xylinus BCG04, from rotten grapes, and its application in developing a protective matrix for immobilizing Heyndrickxia coagulans, a spore-forming probiotic bacterium. BC was produced using mature coconut water (MCW), an agro-waste-derived substrate, and was characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm its nanofibrous morphology, functional group composition, and crystalline cellulose Iβ structure. Following immobilization and lyophilization, H. coagulans exhibited significantly enhanced survival under gastrointestinal and thermal stress conditions. The immobilized cells-maintained viability levels of 1–2 log CFU/mL higher than free cells at 60–80 °C (p < 0.05), and sustained viable counts above 10⁶ CFU/mL after 3-hour exposure to pH 3 and 1% bile salts, compared to drastic reductions in free cell counts (< 10³ CFU/mL). These results underscore the efficacy of BC as a protective, biocompatible carrier that improves stress tolerance of probiotics. The integration of coconut water-derived BC with H. coagulans provides a sustainable, cost-effective approach to formulating next-generation synbiotic products for the functional food and nutraceutical industries.