Spray-Dried Gum Arabic–Maltodextrin–Eudragit S100 Microparticles Improve Viability and Biocompatibility of Ligilactobacillus salivarius

Abstract

Enteric-coated composite probiotic carriers are often assumed to be biocompatible before their cytotoxic profile is systematically evaluated. This study establishes the foundational biosafety and encapsulation performance of spray-dried microparticles containing Ligilactobacillus salivarius (isolated from Cavia porcellus) within a novel ternary matrix of maltodextrin (MD), gum arabic (GA), and Eudragit S100. Using a host-matched biological model, we assessed encapsulation efficiency (EE), metabolic recovery (generation time, G), water activity (aw), and acute cytotoxicity (LD50) in Artemia salina and guinea pig lymphocytes across three inlet temperatures (140–160 °C). The MD–GA blend processed at 140 °C emerged as the optimal lead formulation, delivering the highest EE (59%) and the most rapid metabolic recovery (G = 2.9 h). Toxicity was formulation-dependent, MD-only microparticles exhibited the highest cytotoxicity, whereas GA-containing matrices significantly mitigated acute effects, yielding the highest LD50 values (up to 400 mg/mL in A. salina and 240 mg/mL in lymphocytes). All formulations were classified as relatively harmless on the Hodge and Sterner scale. By providing the first host-matched biosafety baseline for this ternary enteric matrix, this work identifies a biocompatible lead candidate and establishes the essential prerequisite for subsequent functional validation of gastrointestinal delivery in productive animal species.