Prebiotic carbohydrates: Effect on physicochemical stability and solubility of algal oil nanoparticles

Structural characteristics and emulsifying properties of linear dextrin/eicosapentaenoic acid composites: Effect of the degree of polymerization

This work aimed at building functional emulsions based on the linear dextrins (LDs) emulsion system. The gradient polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitaion method was used to fractionate LDs into fractions with different degrees of polymerization (DP). A package, and co-precipitation procedure of LDs, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was used to fabricate LDs-EPA composites. The gas chromatograph, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analyses affirmed the formation of the LDs-EPA composites. The sizes of these composites were 38.55 nm, 59.14 nm to 80.62 nm, respectively, and they had good amphiphilicity. Compared with LDs, these LDs-EPA composites stabilized Pickering emulsion had higher stability and antioxidant capacity. Their emulsifying ability was positively correlated with the DP values of LDs. Furthermore, the oxidation stability results showed that LDsF10-EPA emulsion had the lowest lipid hydroperoxide (LHs) content, malondioxide (MDA) content and hexal concentration, which were 138.75 mmol kg-1 oil, 15.50 mmol kg-1 oil and 3.83 μmol kg-1 oil, respectively. The study provided a new idea and application values for the application of LDs in emulsion.

Application of inulin for the formulation and delivery of bioactive molecules and live cells

Inulin is a fructan biosynthesized mainly in plants of the Asteraceae family. It is also found in edible vegetables and fruits such as onion, garlic, leek, and banana. For the industrial production of inulin, chicory and Jerusalem artichoke are the main raw material. Inulin is used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic as well biotechnological industries. It has a GRAS status and exhibits prebiotic properties. Inulin can be used as a wall material in the encapsulation process of drugs and other bioactive compounds and the development of their delivery systems. In the review, the use of inulin for the encapsulation of probiotics, essential and fatty oils, antioxidant compounds, natural colorant and other bioactive compounds is presented. The encapsulation techniques, materials and the properties of final products suitable for the delivery into food are discussed. Research limitations are also highlighted.

Improved Viability of Probiotics via Microencapsulation in Whey-Protein-Isolate-Octenyl-Succinic-Anhydride-Starch-Complex Coacervates

The aim of this study was to microencapsulate probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus 11073) using whey-protein-isolate (WPI)-octenyl-succinic-anhydride-starch (OSA-starch)-complex coacervates and to investigate the effects on probiotic bacterial viability during spray drying, simulated gastrointestinal digestion, thermal treatment and long-term storage. The optimum mixing ratio and pH for the preparation of WPI-OSA-starch-complex coacervates were determined to be 2:1 and 4.0, respectively. The combination of WPI and OSA starch under these conditions produced microcapsules with smoother surfaces and more compact structures than WPI-OSA starch alone, due to the electrostatic attraction between WPI and OSA starch. As a result, WPI-OSA-starch microcapsules showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher viability (95.94 ± 1.64%) after spray drying and significantly (p < 0.05) better protection during simulated gastrointestinal digestion, heating (65 °C/30 min and 75 °C/10 min) and storage (4/25 °C for 12 weeks) than WPI-OSA-starch microcapsules. These results demonstrated that WPI-OSA-starch-complex coacervates have excellent potential as a novel wall material for probiotic microencapsulation.

Enhancing the Stability and Bioaccessibility of Tree Peony Seed Oil Using Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembling Bilayer Emulsions

Tree peony seed oil (TPSO) is an important plant source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid, ALA > 40%) that is receiving increasing attention for its excellent antioxidant and other activities. However, it has poor stability and bioavailability. In this study, a bilayer emulsion of TPSO was successfully prepared using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. Among the proteins and polysaccharides examined, whey protein isolate (WPI) and sodium alginate (SA) were found to be the most suitable wall materials. The prepared bilayer emulsion contained 5% TPSO, 0.45% whey protein isolate (WPI) and 0.5% sodium alginate (SA) under selected conditions and its zeta potential, droplet size, and polydispersity index were -31 mV, 1291 nm, and 27%, respectively. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency for TPSO were up to 84% and 90.2%, respectively. It was noteworthy that the bilayer emulsion showed significantly enhanced oxidative stability (peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content) compared to the monolayer emulsion, which was accompanied by a more ordered spatial structure caused by the electrostatic interaction of the WPI with the SA. This bilayer emulsion also exhibited markedly improved environmental stability (pH, metal ion), rheological properties, and physical stability during storage. Furthermore, the bilayer emulsion was more easily digested and absorbed, and had higher fatty acid release rate and ALA bioaccessibility than TPSO alone and the physical mixtures. These results suggest that bilayer emulsion containing WPI and SA is an effective TPSO encapsulation system and has significant potential for future functional food development.

Constitution and reconstitution of microcapsules with high diacylglycerol oil loading capacity based on whey protein isolate / octenyl succinic anhydride starch/ inulin matrix

The aim of this study was to constitute microcapsule systems with high oil loading capacity by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starch, whey protein isolate (WPI) and inulin (IN) substrates to provide a new method for encapsulating diacylglycerol oil. Specifically, this study characterizes the physicochemical properties and reconstitution capacity of highly oil loading diacylglycerol microcapsules by comparing the wall encapsulation capacity of the binary wall system OSA-IN, WPI-IN and the ternary wall system WPI-OSA (1:9, 5:5, 9:1)-IN for diacylglycerol oil. It was found that WPI-OSA (5:5)-IN significantly improved the water solubility of microcapsules (86.11 %) compared to OSA-IN microcapsules, and the addition of WPI made the surface of microcapsules smoother and increased the thermal stability and solubility of microcapsules; the addition of OSA enhanced the wettability of microcapsules compared to WPI-IN. In addition, WPI-OSA (5:5)-IN microcapsules have the highest encapsulation efficiency (96.03 %), high emulsion stability after reconstitution, and the smallest droplet size (212.83 nm) after 28 d. Therefore, the WPI-OSA-IN composite system is suitable for the production of highly oil-loaded microencapsulated systems with excellent reconstitution ability to expand the application of diacylglycerol oil.

Starches in the encapsulation of plant active ingredients: state of the art and research trends

As a natural polymer, starches and their derivatives have received widespread attention in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, particularly for their use as a coating material. In this sense, as an encapsulating agent, starches stand out, considering the number of compounds that they can trap. Additionally, they provide a nutritional contribution and may improve acceptance by patients. As such, this type of material may serve as an alternative to overcome gaps such as loss of activity of the active principles, low assimilation, or deterioration under environmental and physiological conditions. In this paper, we aim to present the state of the art and research trends on the use of starch as a wall material for the encapsulation of active principles of plant origin. It was found that the most-encapsulated active principles are essential oils and polyphenols; native or modified starches are typically used, either as the sole wall material or in combination with other polymers; and the most widely used methodology is spray drying. The reviewed studies indicate the potential of starches for their use in active ingredient encapsulation processes, improving their viability and expanding their range of applications in different industries, as well as showing a clearly increasing publication trend over the last 10 years.

Graphical abstract

The Influence of Prebiotics on Wheat Flour, Dough, and Bread Properties; Resistant Starch, Polydextrose, and Inulin

The addition of prebiotics to bread is one of the most important ways to improve its techno-functional properties. In this study, the effects of resistant starch, polydextrose, and inulin on wheat flour, dough, and bread properties were investigated. The farinography results showed that resistant starch significantly increased the development time (2:18) via a boosting effect; however, polydextrose (1:48) and inulin (1:36) weakened the dough (p < 0.05). Inulin, polydextrose, and resistant starch had the greatest effect on reducing water absorption (40, 43.2, and 48.9), respectively, (p < 0.05). According to extensography data, the addition of inulin produced the best result in baking compared to other polysaccharides. In terms of baked breads, the samples containing resistant starch had high moisture content that could be due to starch gelatinization and moisture-retention, which delays the staling process of the bread. Inulin, polydextrose, and resistant starch prebiotic ingredients affected the rheological properties of the dough, overall bread quality and organoleptic characteristics; however, resistant starch was the best prebiotic used in this study.

Ketoprofen-FA Co-crystal: In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation for the Solubility Enhancement of Drug by Design of Expert

The present piece of research work is framed for improving the solubility of ketoprofen by forming co-crystal using fumaric acid as a coformer. Co-crystal of ketoprofen and fumaric acid was prepared by simple solvent-assisted grinding method, containing drug and coformer as independent variables and solubility and % drug release were assumed to be dependent variables. Differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to characterize the preparation of optimized batch of co-crystal and further, evaluated for in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Based on results of solubility and dissolution rate studies the formulation showed magnified improvement in both the properties on co-crystallization. The values of Gibbs free energy are negative at all levels of carrier demonstrating spontaneity of the drug solubilization process. The IC₅₀ value of optimized batch of co-crystal formulation and the pure drug was observed as 327.33 μg/ml and 556.11 μg/ml, respectively, demonstrating that co-crystal formulation possesses more percentage protection against protein denaturation than the drug ketoprofen. In vivo (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) activities revealed that optimized batch of co-crystal formulation delivered a rapid pharmacological response in Wistar rats and albino mice when compared with standard drug.

Polymeric nanocapsules: A review on design and production methods for pharmaceutical purpose

Polymeric nanocapsules have extensive application potential in medical, biological, and pharmaceutical fields, and, therefore, much research has been dedicated to their production. Indeed, production protocols and the materials used are decisive for obtaining the desired nanocapsules characteristics and biological performance. In addition to that, several technological strategies have been developed in the last decade to improve processing techniques and form more valuable nanocapsules. This review provides a guide to current methods for developing polymeric nanocapsules, reporting aspects to be considered when choosing appropriate materials, and discussing different ways to produce nanocapsules for superior performances.

Starch-based materials encapsulating food ingredients: Recent advances in fabrication methods and applications

Encapsulation systems have gained significant interest in designing innovative foods, as they allow for the protection and delivery of food ingredients that have health benefits but are unstable during processing, storage and in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Starch is widely available, cheap, biodegradable, edible, and easy to be modified, thus highly suitable for the development of encapsulants. Much efforts have been made to fabricate various types of porous starch and starch particles using different techniques (e.g. enzymatic hydrolysis, aggregation, emulsification, electrohydrodynamic process, supercritical fluid process, and post-processing drying). Such starch-based systems can load, protect, and deliver various food ingredients (e.g. fatty acids, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, flavors, essential oils, irons, vitamins, probiotics, bacteriocins, co-enzymes, and caffeine), exhibiting great potentials in developing foods with tailored flavor, nutrition, sensory properties, and shelf-life. This review surveys recent advances in different aspects of starch-based encapsulation systems including their forms, manufacturing techniques, and applications in foods.

Food preservation techniques and nanotechnology for increased shelf life of fruits, vegetables, beverages and spices: a review

Food wastage is a major issue impacting public health, the environment and the economy in the context of rising population and decreasing natural resources. Wastage occurs at all stages from harvesting to the consumer, calling for advanced techniques of food preservation. Wastage is mainly due to presence of moisture and microbial organisms present in food. Microbes can be killed or deactivated, and cross-contamination by microbes such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be avoided. Moisture removal may not be feasible in all cases. Preservation methods include thermal, electrical, chemical and radiation techniques. Here, we review the advanced food preservation techniques, with focus on fruits, vegetables, beverages and spices. We emphasize electrothermal, freezing and pulse electric field methods because they allow both pathogen reduction and improvement of nutritional and physicochemical properties. Ultrasound technology and ozone treatment are suitable to preserve heat sensitive foods. Finally, nanotechnology in food preservation is discussed.

Effects of prebiotic dietary fibers and probiotics on human health: With special focus on recent advancement in their encapsulated formulations

Background

Dietary fibers (DFs) are known as potential formulations in human health due to their beneficial effects in control of life-threatening chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, obesity and cancer. In recent decades scientists around the globe have shown tremendous interest to evaluate the interplay between DFs and gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota. Evidences from various epidemiological and clinical trials have revealed that DFs modulate formation and metabolic activities of the microbial communities residing in the human GIT which in turn play significant roles in maintaining health and well-being. Furthermore, interestingly, a rapidly growing literature indicates success of DFs being prebiotics in immunomodulation, namely the stimulation of innate, cellular and humoral immune response, which could also be linked with their significant roles in modulation of the probiotics (live beneficial microorganisms).

Scope and approach

The main focus of the current review is to expressively highlight the importance of DFs being prebiotics in human health in association with their influence on gut microbiota. Now in order to significantly achieve the promising health benefits from these prebiotics, it is aimed to develop novel formulations to enhance and scale up their efficacy. Therefore, finally, herein unlike previously published articles, we highlighted different kinds of prebiotic and probiotic formulations which are being regarded as hot research topics among the scientific community now a days.

Conclusion

The information in this article will specifically provide a platform for the development of novel functional foods the demands for which has risen drastically in recent years.

Polymeric Nanocapsules as Nanotechnological Alternative for Drug Delivery System: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities

Polymer-based nanocapsules have been widely studied as a potential drug delivery system in recent years. Nanocapsules-as one of kind nanoparticle-provide a unique nanostructure, consisting of a liquid/solid core with a polymeric shell. This is of increasing interest in drug delivery applications. In this review, nanocapsules delivery systems studied in last decade are reviewed, along with nanocapsule formulation, characterizations of physical/chemical/biologic properties and applications. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities of nanocapsules applications are also proposed.