**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** MICROENCAPSULATION OF PROBIOTIC BACTERIA TO IMPROVE CELL SURVIVAL IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TRACT HAS BEEN STUDIED EXTENSIVELY. IN VITRO STUDIES USING THE STATIC DIGESTION MODELS ARE COMMONLY EMPLOYED TO INVESTIGATE RELEASE KINETICS OF PROBIOTIC EMBEDDED MICROCAPSULES (PEMS), BUT THE EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE OVERSIMPLIFIED DUE TO A LACK OF SIMULATION OF COMPLEX PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES PRESENT IN THE HUMAN BODY. BESIDES, PEM FORTIFIED FOODS ARE AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS BUT THE INFLUENCE OF THE FOOD MATRICES ON PROBIOTICS REMAINS TO BE ELUCIDATED.THE GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF DYNAMIC GI CONDITIONS AND FOOD MATRICES ON TRANSIT, RELEASE, MUCOADHESION, AND SURVIVAL OF MICROENCAPSULATED PROBIOTICS. SIX MICROCAPSULES WITH DIFFERENT WALL MATERIALS WILL BE PREPARED WITH EXTRUSION, SPRAY DRYING, AND EMULSIFICATION METHODS. THE IMPACT OF DYNAMIC GI CONDITIONS (PH, VISCOSITY, AND CONTRACTION FORCE) ON THE RELEASE KINETICS OF PEMS WILL BE STUDIED. DYNAMIC STOMACH AND INTESTINE MODELS SIMULATING REALISTIC PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS WILL BE USED TO INVESTIGATE THE GI TRANSIT OF THE MICROCAPSULES AND THE CELL VIABILITY AS AFFECTED BY FOOD MATRICES AND WALL MATERIALS. EX VIVO PORCINE MUCOSAL MODEL WILL BE USED TO EXPLORE THE MUCOADHESIVE PROPERTIES OF THE PEMS. IN VIVO SWINE MODEL WILL BE USED TO REVEAL THE CELL SURVIVAL AND COLONIZATION FROM DIFFERENT PEMS, AND THE EFFECT ON MICROBIOTA CHANGES. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THIS STUDY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE MICROENCAPSULATION DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR PROBIOTIC BACTERIA AND OTHER BIOACTIVE TARGETING IMPROVED HEALTH BENEFITS.