Cyclodextrin-based micro- and nanocarriers are increasingly being explored as versatile tools for improving the stability and delivery of probiotic microorganisms, addressing persistent challenges such as acid and bile sensitivity, oxidative stress, and processing-related losses. A wide range of micro- and nano-encapsulation strategies, including spray drying, extrusion, coacervation, freeze-drying, and electrospinning, have been developed to enhance probiotic viability and gastrointestinal performance. Within this technological landscape, cyclodextrins offer distinctive advantages due to their ability to form multifunctional carrier matrices and stabilize sensitive bioactive components through both inclusion and non-inclusion interactions.

Beyond their role as formulation excipients, emerging evidence indicates that certain cyclodextrins may also exhibit prebiotic-like properties, selectively modulating gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity. This combination of carrier functionality and potential biological activity suggests a conceptual framework for synbiotic design in which cyclodextrins could both protect probiotics and influence the intestinal environment following release.

Advances in cyclodextrin-based hydrogels, nanosponges, and hybrid polymer systems further illustrate opportunities for colon-targeted delivery, microbiota-responsive degradation, and controlled release; however, most probiotic-specific applications remain at an exploratory stage. Key challenges related to large-scale manufacturing, microbial viability, safety assessment, and regulatory harmonization remain unresolved.

Rather than presenting a finalized technology, this review integrates evidence from food science, pharmaceutical research, and microbiome studies to highlight cyclodextrin-enabled probiotic formulation as an emerging research domain. By delineating current opportunities and limitations, the work aims to stimulate interdisciplinary investigation into the potential role of cyclodextrins in future probiotic and synbiotic systems