Double fortified (iron and zinc) spray-dried microencapsulated premix for food fortification

Native Potato Starch and Tara Gum as Polymeric Matrices to Obtain Iron-Loaded Microcapsules from Ovine and Bovine Erythrocytes

Iron deficiency leads to ferropenic anemia in humans. This study aimed to encapsulate iron-rich ovine and bovine erythrocytes using tara gum and native potato starch as matrices. Solutions containing 20% erythrocytes and different proportions of encapsulants (5, 10, and 20%) were used, followed by spray drying at 120 and 140 °C. Iron content in erythrocytes ranged between 2.24 and 2.52 mg of Fe/g; microcapsules ranged from 1.54 to 2.02 mg of Fe/g. Yields varied from 50.55 to 63.40%, and temperature and encapsulant proportion affected moisture and water activity. Various red hues, sizes, and shapes were observed in the microcapsules. SEM-EDS analysis revealed the surface presence of iron in microcapsules with openings on their exterior, along with a negative zeta potential. Thermal and infrared analyses confirmed core encapsulation within the matrices. Iron release varied between 92.30 and 93.13% at 120 min. Finally, the most effective treatments were those with higher encapsulant percentages and dried at elevated temperatures, which could enable their utilization in functional food fortification to combat anemia in developing countries.

Recent advances in iron encapsulation and its application in food fortification

Iron (Fe) is an important element for our body since it takes part in a huge variety of metabolic processes. However, the direct incorporation of Fe into food fortification causes a number of problems along with undesirable organoleptic properties. Thus, encapsulation has been suggested to alleviate this problem. This study first sheds more light on the Fe encapsulation strategies and comprehensively explains the results of Fe encapsulation studies in the last decade. Then, the latest attempts to use Fe (in free or encapsulated forms) to fortify foods such as bakery products, dairy products, rice, lipid-containing foods, salt, fruit/vegetable-based products, and infant formula are presented. Double emulsions are highly effective at keeping their Fe content and display encapsulation efficiency (EE) > 88% although it decreases upon storage. The encapsulation by gel beads possesses several advantages including high EE, as well as reduced and great Fe release in gastric and duodenal conditions, respectively. Cereals, particularly bread and wheat, are common staple foods globally; they are very suitable for food fortification by Fe derivatives. Nevertheless, the majority of Fe in flour is available as salts of phytic acid (IP6) and phytates, reducing Fe bioavailability in the human body. The sourdough process degrades IP6 completely while Chorleywood Bread Making Process and conventional processes decrease it by 75% in comparison with whole meal flour.

Influence of different nano/micro-carriers on the bioavailability of iron: Focus on in vitro-in vivo studies

Anemia resulting from iron (Fe) deficiency is a global public health problem. The deficiency of Fe is usually due to insufficient dietary intake of iron, interaction of Fe with other food components, and thus low bioaccessibility/bioavailability. Fe encapsulation has the potential to tackle some major challenges in iron fortification of foods. Various nano/micro-carriers have been developed for encapsulation of Fe, including emulsions, liposomes, hydrogels, and spray-dried microcapsules. They could reduce the interactions of Fe with food components, increase iron tolerance and intestinal uptake, and decrease adverse effects. This article review covers the factors affecting the bioavailability of Fe along with emerging carriers that can be used as a solution of this issue. The application of Fe-loaded carriers in food supplements and products is also described. The advantages and limitations associated with the delivery efficiency of each carrier for Fe are highlighted.

Improving Dietary Zinc Bioavailability Using New Food Fortification Approaches: A Promising Tool to Boost Immunity in the Light of COVID-19

Zinc is a powerful immunomodulatory trace element, and its deficiency in the body is closely associated with changes in immune functions and viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. The creation of new forms of zinc delivery to target cells can make it possible to obtain smart chains of food ingredients. Recent evidence supports the idea that the optimal intake of zinc or bioactive compounds in appropriate supplements should be considered as part of a strategy to generate an immune response in the human body. Therefore, controlling the amount of this element in the diet is especially important for populations at risk of zinc deficiency, who are more susceptible to the severe progression of viral infection and disease, such as COVID-19. Convergent approaches such as micro- and nano-encapsulation develop new ways to treat zinc deficiency and make zinc more bioavailable.

Characterization of selected dietary fibers microparticles and application of the optimized formulation as a fat replacer in hazelnut spreads

The present work demonstrates the application of the spray drying technique to produce microparticulates of different dietary fibers with particle sizes<10 µm. It examines their role as potential fat replacers for hazelnut spread creams. Optimization of a dietary fiber formulation containing inulin, glucomannan, psyllium husk, and chia mucilage to obtain high viscosity, water holding capacity, and oil holding capacity was conducted. Microparticles containing 46.1, 46.2, and 7.6 weight percentages of chia seed mucilage, konjac glucomannan, and psyllium husk showed a spraying yield of 83.45 %, a solubility of 84.63 %, and viscosity of 40.49 Pas. When applied to hazelnut spread creams, microparticles substituted palm oil by 100 %; they produced a product with a total unsaturated and saturated fat reduction of 41 and 77 %, respectively. An increase in dietary fibers of 4 % and a decrease in total calories of 80 % were also induced when compared with the original formulation. Hazelnut spread with dietary fiber microparticles were preferred by 73.13 % of the panelist in the sensory study due to an enhancement in brightness. The demonstrated technique could be used to increase the fiber content while decreasing the fat content in some commercial products, such as peanut butter or chocolate cream.

Microencapsulation of Erythrocytes Extracted from Cavia porcellus Blood in Matrices of Tara Gum and Native Potato Starch

Ferropenic anemy is the leading iron deficiency disease in the world. The aim was to encapsulate erythrocytes extracted from the blood of Cavia porcellus, in matrices of tara gum and native potato starch. For microencapsulation, solutions were prepared with 20% erythrocytes; and encapsulants at 5, 10, and 20%. The mixtures were spray-dried at 120 and 140 °C. The iron content in the erythrocytes was 3.30 mg/g and between 2.32 and 2.05 mg/g for the encapsulates (p < 0.05). The yield of the treatments varied between 47.84 and 58.73%. The moisture, water activity, and bulk density were influenced by the temperature and proportion of encapsulants. The total organic carbon in the atomized samples was around 14%. The particles had diverse reddish tonalities, which were heterogeneous in their form and size; openings on their surface were also observed by SEM. The particle size was at the nanometer level, and the zeta potential (ζ) indicated a tendency to agglomerate and precipitation the solutions. The presence of iron was observed on the surface of the atomized by SEM-EDX, and FTIR confirmed the encapsulation due to the presence of the chemical groups OH, C-O, C-H, and N-H in the atomized. On the other hand, high percentages of iron release in vitro were obtained between 88.45 and 94.71%. The treatment with the lowest proportion of encapsulants performed at 140 °C obtained the best results and could potentially be used to fortify different functional foods.