Abstract
This study presents a novel synbiotic yogurt fortified with free and PLGA-entrapped rice straw hemicellulose hydrolyzate (RSHH) to offer immediate probiotic support and sustained prebiotic delivery. RSHH, obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis, yielded 0.5 g/g hemicellulose and was rich in xylooligosaccharides (48.3% reducing sugars), with notable antioxidant activity (45.59 µmol Trolox/mg) and anticancer effects (61.98% reduction in EAC cell viability at 1000 µg/mL). It enhanced the growth of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum and Bifidobacterium bifidum more effectively than inulin. Biosafety tests in rats confirmed no adverse effects and improved lipid profiles. RSHH was successfully encapsulated into PLGA nanoparticles (38.77% efficiency, 204.9 nm size, -18.3 mV zeta potential), with spherical morphology, uniform distribution and no aggregation as confirmed by TEM. Yogurt containing both free and entrapped RSHH demonstrated the best performance over 20 days. This dual-delivery system offers a promising solution to enhance probiotic viability and prebiotic stability in functional food applications.