Table 1: Exposure of microcapsules to the simulated human GI transit (72 h in total) and the corresponding morphological changes.

Compartment Stomach Small intestine Ascend. Colon Transverse colon Descend. Colon in GI model (V1) (V2) (V3) (V4) (V5) pH 2 7.2–7.4 5.6–5.8 6.2–6.4 6.6–6.8 Exposure time (h) 2 4 18 24 24 Microcapsule morphology Intact Swelled, ~15% deformed Collapsed Collapsed or dissolved Adhesive, ~30% ruptured Microcapsule morphology Intact Slightly swelled,1% burst Spherical,2% broken Spherical intact Spherical intact

Vessel (V) of bioreactors in the GI model representing the human GI tract. Microcapsules cross-linked by genipin at . Microcapsules cross-linked by genipin at RT.