Innovative jelly formulation enriched with microencapsulated Bacillus coagulans via chia seed mucilage‐based nanoemulsions and nanofibers

BACKGROUND The incorporation of probiotics into food matrices requires suitable protective systems to maintain their functionality during food processing and storage. Chia seed mucilage is a plant‐derived hydrocolloid with promising technological properties for functional food applications. This study aimed to evaluate the application of previously developed chia seed mucilage‐based nanofiber and nanoemulsion carriers containing microencapsulated Bacillus coagulans in probiotic jelly formulations. RESULTS The incorporation of the probiotic carrier systems significantly affected the physicochemical, rheological, textural, and microbial properties of the jelly formulations. Differences were observed among treatments in pH, acidity, water activity, moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate content, and degree of esterification. The highest viscosity value, 0.65 ± 0.02 Pa s, was observed in the high‐level nanofiber treatment. Nanofiber‐ and nanoemulsion‐containing formulations also showed improved textural characteristics compared with the control, while microbial analysis demonstrated significant differences among the probiotic‐containing treatments. CONCLUSION The application of previously developed chia seed mucilage‐based nanofiber and nanoemulsion carriers containing microencapsulated B. coagulans significantly influenced the technological and microbial characteristics of probiotic jelly. These findings demonstrate the potential of these carrier systems for the development of functional jelly products containing probiotics.