A probiotic and microalgae-added edible film and a production method
An edible film combining probiotics and microalgae is produced to enhance food shelf life and health benefits, maintaining probiotic viability and nutritional advantages, addressing the lack of such products in the market.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-26
AI Technical Summary
There is a need for an edible film that combines the benefits of probiotics and microalgae, particularly Chlorella, to enhance food shelf life and provide probiotic, prebiotic, and nutritional properties, as no such product currently exists in the market.
A method to produce an edible film by dissolving biopolymers in water with glycerol, adding Lactobacillus plantarum probiotics and microalgae like Spirulina platensis or Chlorella vulgaris, and forming the mixture into a film through drying, ensuring probiotic viability and nutritional benefits.
The film extends food shelf life, provides health benefits, and maintains probiotic viability up to 108CFU/g after 6 months storage, with stability in an in vitro gastrointestinal environment.
Smart Images
Figure TR2025051191_26032026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] A PROBIOTIC AND MICRO ALGAE-ADDED EDIBLE FILM AND A PRODUCTION METHOD
[0002] Technical Field
[0003] The invention relates to a film obtained by the method and method of obtaining an edible film containing probiotics and microalgae, used as a food surface coating or as a nutritional supplement alone.
[0004] Background
[0005] The durability, or shelf life, of a food product depends on many factors, namely the quality of the ingredients, the composition and structure of the product, the processing conditions during production, the packaging properties, and finally the storage, transportation and distribution conditions. This shows that every food will inevitably deteriorate under certain conditions. Extending the shelf life with edible coatings is one of the issues that has been studied in this field recently. The feature of edible coatings is that they are applied as a liquid coating to the food surface and provide a thin layer. Although environmentally friendly alternatives such as probiotic edible films are becoming more common, these films offer benefits such as better food safety, longer shelf life and pathogen protection. Studies have been carried out on probiotic edible films and their benefits for gut health and food protection. Although probiotic-added edible films have been studied or patented so far, both algae and probiotic- added films have not been obtained. The prebiotic effect of algae has been determined in previous studies. Therefore, it is thought that the addition of algae to the edible film will increase the effectiveness of the film with its prebiotic effect. Research on microalgae-based films highlights their nutritional benefits and potential as a prebiotic source. However, no product is currently available on the combination of probiotics and microalgae (especially Chlorella) in a single formulation, especially in the context of edible films. Therefore, there is a need for a new edible film supported in terms of microalgae and probiotics and the production method of this film.
[0006] An edible mcc / pga coating composition is mentioned in the international patent document WOO 132152, which is in the known state of the art.
[0007] Brief Description of the Invention
[0008] The object of the present invention is to develop an edible film and production method comprising probiotics and microalgae, which can be used as a food surface coating or supplement.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to realize the film obtained by the method and method of obtaining an edible film that extends the shelf life of the foods covered and gives probiotic, prebiotic and nutritional properties to the food and provides health benefits.
[0010] Detailed Description of the Invention
[0011] A "Probiotic and Microalgae-Added Edible Film and Production Method" carried out to achieve the object of this invention is shown in the attached figure; this figure being the following:
[0012] Figure 1. A flowchart of the method of the invention.
[0013] Figure 2. An electron microscope view of the edible film showing the distribution of probiotics and microalgae.
[0014] 100. Method
[0015] A method of obtaining an edible film comprising probiotics and microalgae, used as a food surface coating or as a nutritional supplement alone (100), further comprising the following steps:
[0016] - preparing a solution with the biopolymer (101),
[0017] - obtaining a mixture by adding probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution (102), and
[0018] - transforming the obtained mixture into an edible film of the desired thickness by pouring it into the molds (103).
[0019] In the step of preparing a solution with the biopolymer of the edible film obtaining method dissolving in distilled water at a concentration of 1-1.5% (w / v). 1-2% (v / v) glycerol used as a plasticizer is added to the obtained solution. After ensuring that the solution becomes homogeneous, it is cooled to room temperature.
[0020] In the step of obtaining a mixture by adding probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution of the edible film obtaining method of the invention (100), Lactobacillus plantarum 299v probiotic, which has the property of improving gut health, strengthening the immune system and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria, is added to the chilled solution in lyophilized form and at a concentration of 1010-10nCFU / g to protect its viability. Spirulina platensis and / or Chlorella vulgaris microalgae, which provide high protein content, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and support the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria with their prebiotic effect, are added to the cooled solution in powder form at a concentration of 0.5-1% (w / v). After the addition of the solution, probiotics and microalgae, a mixture is obtained by mixing without damaging the probiotics.
[0021] In the step of transforming the mixture obtained from the edible film obtaining method (100) of the invention into an edible film of the desired thickness by pouring it into the molds (103), the mixture prepared to contain probiotics and microalgae is poured onto a flat surface or mold and spread evenly to the desired film thickness. An edible film is obtained by drying at 25-30°C for 24-48 hours.
[0022] The edible film obtained by the method of the invention (100) is used in the food and healthcare industry as a film that combines the health benefits of probiotics and the nutritional advantages of microalgae, extends the shelf life by adding functional properties to the foods they are coated with, and can be consumed with food.
[0023] Microbial viability studies were carried out for the edible film obtained by the method of the invention (100), and the number of probiotics remained above 108CFU / g after 6 months of storage at 4°C. In the in vitro gastrointestinal environment, it remained at the level of 108in the analysis performed for 6 hours (Table 1). Probiotics and algae are seen in electron microscopy images (Figure 2).
[0024] Table 1. The number of probiotic bacteria in the film in the in vitro gastrointestinal environment (Log CFU / g) Film 2 hours 4 hours 6 hours
[0025] Mean 9.8 9.0 8.7 8.6
[0026] Standard Deviation 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1
[0027] It is possible to develop a wide range of applications for the "Probiotic and Microalgae-Added Edible Film and Production Method (100)" of the invention around these basic concepts, and the invention cannot be limited to the examples described herein, mainly as specified in the claims.
Claims
CLAIMS1. A production method for edible film (100) comprising probiotics and microalgae, used as a food surface coating or as a nutritional supplement alone, characterized by the following steps:- preparing a solution with the biopolymer (101),- obtaining a mixture by adding probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution (102), and- transforming the obtained mixture into an edible film of the desired thickness by pouring it into the molds (103).
2. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that a biopolymer, which is a sodium alginate, is heated to 60-70°C by dissolving in distilled water at a concentration of 1-1.5% (w / v) in the step of preparing a solution with the biopolymer (101).
3. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the glycerol used as a 1-2% (v / v) plasticizer is added to the obtained solution in the step of preparing a solution with the biopolymer (101).
4. The method of obtaining an edible film according to any of the preceding claims (100), characterized in that the solution is cooled to room temperature after it is homogenized in the step of preparing a solution with biopolymer (101).
5. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, which has the property of improving gut health, strengthening the immune system and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria, is added in lyophilized form and at a concentration of 1010-10nCFU / g to maintain its viability in the step of obtaining a mixture by the addition of probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution (102).
6. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microalgae Spirulina platensis and / or Chlorella vulgaris are added in powder form at a concentration of 0.5-1% (w / v), which provides the chilledsolution with a high protein content, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, as well as promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria with its prebiotic action in step of obtaining a mixture by adding probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution (102).
7. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solution is mixed without damaging the probiotics after the addition of the probiotics and microalgae in the step of obtaining a mixture by adding probiotics and microalgae to the prepared solution (102).
8. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixture prepared to contain probiotics and microalgae is poured onto a flat surface or mold and spread evenly to the desired film thickness in the step of transforming the obtained mixture into an edible film of the desired thickness by pouring it into the molds (103).
9. The method of obtaining an edible film (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an edible film is obtained by drying the obtained mixture into molds at 25-30°C for 24-48 hours in the step of making an edible film of the desired thickness (103).
10. Use in the food and healthcare industry as a film that is produced by following the steps of the above method (100), combines the health benefits of probiotics and the nutritional advantages of microalgae, extends the shelf life by adding functional properties to the foods they are coated with, and can be consumed with food.
11. An edible film characterized in that it is used in the food and healthcare industry, which combines the health benefits of probiotics and the nutritional advantages of microalgae, extends the shelf life by adding functional properties to the foods they are coated with, and can be consumed with food.