Emulsion templated microencapsulation of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale L.) polyphenols and β-carotene by ionotropic gelation of alginate and pectin

Microencapsulation of green tea polyphenols by ionic gelation and spray chilling methods

The consumption of teas has been increasing with the dissemination of information regarding the health benefits of its constituents. Obtaining food products with healthier profiles is already a reality for industry with the increasing development of new functional ingredients, including the use of tea and its derivatives (extracts). This work aimed to evaluate the encapsulation of green tea extract powder in lipid microparticles (LMP) by the spray chilling method and in ionic gelation microparticles (IGMP) by the ionic gelation method to obtain polyphenol-rich water insoluble components. Microparticles were adequately obtained in both methods, with typical physical characteristics consistent with the results in literature results, 83.5 ± 2.8% encapsulation efficiency for LMP and 72.6 ± 0.4% for IGMP, and antioxidant activity (IC50 μg/mL) of 33,169.4 ± 123.8 (IGMP) and 2099.7 ± 35.3 (LMP). The microparticles samples were considered suitable as ingredients for add polyphenols in foods.

Delivery of synergistic polyphenol combinations using biopolymer-based systems: Advances in physicochemical properties, stability and bioavailability

When consumed at sufficiently high levels, polyphenols may provide health benefits, which is linked to their antidiabetic, antiinflamatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, and hypolipidemic properties. Moreover, certain polyphenol combinations exhibit synergistic effects when delivered together - the combined polyphenols have a higher biological activity than the sum of the individual ones. However, the commercial application of polyphenols as nutraceuticals is currently limited because of their poor solubility characteristics; instability when exposed to light, heat, and alkaline conditions; and, low and inconsistent oral bioavailability. Colloidal delivery systems are being developed to overcome these challenges. In this article, we review the design, fabrication, and utilization of food-grade biopolymer-based delivery systems for the encapsulation of one or more polyphenols. In particular, we focus on the creation of delivery systems constructed from edible proteins and polysaccharides. The optimization of biopolymer-based delivery systems may lead to the development of innovative polyphenol-enriched functional foods that can improve human health and wellbeing.

Blueberry Residue Encapsulation by Ionotropic Gelation

In the processing of fruits such as blueberry (Vaccinium sp), that has high levels of phenolic acid, the food industry produces tons of organic waste that causes harm to the environment. Encapsulation is a technique used to take advantage of these wastes. Several methods are used to encapsulate substances, among them ionotropic gelation proves to be a simple, precise, efficient and economical method for obtaining particles with encapsulated bioactives. In this manner, the aim of this study was to test sodium alginate as wall material to encapsulate blueberry residue by ionotropic gelation. The microbeads were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and in vitro dissolution. The results showed that the microbeads had surface invagination; retention of 67.01% of the phenolic compounds after encapsulation and 68.2%, phenolic release 120 min after in vitro dissolution. The results suggest that the tested matrix was suitable for encapsulation. The produced microbeads are promising for applications in food products, once the phenolic compounds present in the blueberry residues were maintained after encapsulation.

Pectin and Pectin-Based Composite Materials: Beyond Food Texture

Pectins are plant cell wall natural heteropolysaccharides composed mainly of α-1-4 d-galacturonic acid units, which may or may not be methyl esterified, possesses neutral sugars branching that harbor functional moieties. Physicochemical features as pH, temperature, ions concentration, and cosolute presence, affect directly the extraction yield and gelling capacity of pectins. The chemical and structural features of this polysaccharide enables its interaction with a wide range of molecules, a property that scientists profit from to form new composite matrices for target/controlled delivery of therapeutic molecules, genes or cells. Considered a prebiotic dietary fiber, pectins meetmany regulations easily, regarding health applications within the pharmaceutical industry as a raw material and as an agent for the prevention of cancer. Thus, this review lists many emergent pectin-based composite materials which will probably palliate the impact of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, aid to forestall actual epidemics, expand the ken of food additives and food products design.

Characterization of a Sea Buckthorn Extract and Its Effect on Free and Encapsulated Lactobacillus casei

Probiotics are bacteria that can provide health benefits to consumers and are suitable to be added to a variety of foods. In this research, viability of immobilized Lactobacillus casei in alginate with or without sea buckthorn lipid extract were studied during heat treatment and with an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The characterization of the lipid extract was also done using the UV-Vis spectrometry (UV-Vis), high-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detection method (HPLC-PDA), gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GS-MS) and Cryo scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). During heat treatment, the entrapped probiotic cells proved high viability (>6 CFU log/g), even at temperatures above 50 °C. The rich in monounsaturated fatty acids sea buckthorn fraction improved the in vitro digestion passage regarding the probiotic viability. The survival of the probiotic cells was 15% higher after 2 h in the acidic medium of the simulated gastric fluid in the sample where L. casei was encapsulated with the sea buckthorn extract compared with the samples where no extract was added. Thus, this approach may be effective for the future development of probiotic-supplemented foods as foods with health welfare for the consumers.

Emulsion design for the delivery of β-carotene in complex food systems

β-Carotene has been widely investigated both in the industry and academia, due to its unique bioactive attributes as an antioxidant and pro-vitamin A. Many attempts were made to design delivery systems for β-carotene to improve its dispersant state and chemical stability, and finally to enhance the functionality. Different types of oil-in-water emulsions were proved to be effective delivery systems for lipophilic bioactive ingredients, and intensive studies were performed on β-carotene emulsions in the last decade. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable, and emulsions with intact structures are preferable in delivering β-carotene during processing and storage. β-Carotene in emulsions with smaller particle size has poor stability, and protein-type emulsifiers and additional antioxidants are effective in protecting β-carotene from degradation. Recent development in the design of protein-polyphenol conjugates has provided a novel approach to improve the stability of β-carotene emulsions. When β-carotene is consumed, its bioaccessibility is highly influenced by the digestion of lipids, and β-carotene in smaller oil droplets containing long-chain fatty acids has a higher bioaccessibility. In order to better deliver β-carotene in complex food products, some novel emulsions with tailor-made structures have been developed, e.g., multilayer emulsions, solid lipid particles, Pickering emulsions. This review summarizes the updated understanding of emulsion-based delivery systems for β-carotene, and how emulsions can be better designed to fulfill the benefits of β-carotene in functional foods.