Abstract
This study investigates the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional South Kazakhstan sauerkraut, an underexplored source of regionally adapted microorganisms. Lactobacilli were screened for antagonistic activity, bile tolerance, and antibiotic susceptibility. One isolate with superior functional properties was identified as Lactobacillus paracasei, exhibiting exceptionally high intrinsic bile tolerance and maintaining viability after 24 hours of exposure to model preserved medical bile without protective encapsulation. To improve stability and enable controlled delivery, a sodium alginate-based microencapsulation system was developed, achieving 92% encapsulation efficiency. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed preservation of key protein and polysaccharide functional groups following encapsulation. The novelty of this work lies in integrating a previously uncharacterized regional microbiota with scalable microencapsulation, highlighting the potential of locally sourced probiotic strains for functional food development and biotechnological applications in Central Asia.