Preservation of Antioxidant Activity and Polyphenols in Chokeberry Juice and Wine with the Use of Microencapsulation

Microencapsulation of green tea polyphenols: Utilizing oat oil and starch-based double emulsions for improved delivery

The stability and bioavailability of green tea polyphenols, crucial for their health benefits, are compromised by environmental sensitivity, limiting their use in functional foods and supplements. This study introduces a novel water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion technique with microwave-assisted extraction, significantly enhancing the stability and bioavailability of these compounds. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of several encapsulating agents, such as gum Arabic as control and native and modified starches, in improving encapsulated substances' stability and release control. Native and modified starches were chosen for their outstanding film-forming properties, improving encapsulation efficiency and protecting bioactive compounds from oxidative degradation. The combination of maltodextrin and tapioca starch improved phenolic content retention, giving 46.25 ± 2.63 mg/g in tapioca starch microcapsules (GTTA) and 41.73 ± 3.24 mg/g in gum arabic microcapsules (GTGA). Besides the control, modified starches also had the most potent antioxidant activity, with a 45 % inhibition (inh%) in the DPPH analysis. Oat oil was utilized for its superior viscosity and nutritional profile, boosting emulsion stability and providing the integrity of the encapsulated polyphenols, as indicated by the microcapsules' narrow span index (1.30 ± 0.002). The microcapsules' thermal behavior and structural integrity were confirmed using advanced methods such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). This study highlights the critical role of choosing appropriate wall materials and extraction techniques. It sets a new standard for microencapsulation applications in the food industry, paving the way for future innovations.

Development of Cyclodextrin-Based Mono and Dual Encapsulated Powders by Spray Drying for Successful Preservation of Everlasting Flower Extract

The study aimed to develop encapsulation systems to maintain the preservation of everlasting (Helichrysum plicatum) flower extract polyphenols. Spray-dried encapsulates were formulated using β-cyclodextrin (BCD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) as supramolecular hosts, and their macromolecule mixtures with the conventional carriers, maltodextrin (MD) and whey protein (WP). The obtained microparticles were comparatively assessed regarding technological, physicochemical, and phytochemical properties. The highest yields were achieved by combining cyclodextrins with whey protein (73.96% for WP+BCD and 75.50% for WP+HPBCD compared to 62.48% of pure extract). The extract-carrier interactions and thermal stability were evaluated by FTIR and DSC analysis, suggesting successful entrapment within the carriers. Carriers reduced the particle diameter (3.99 to 4.86 μm compared to 6.49 μm of pure extract), classifying all encapsulates as microsystems. Carrier blends made the particle size distribution uniform, while SEM analysis revealed the production of more spherical and less aggregated particles. The HPBCD provided the highest encapsulation efficiency, with the highest content of detected aglycones and slightly lower values of their glycosylated forms. An analysis of the dual macromolecule encapsulation systems revealed the highest bioactive preservation potential for SHE+MD+BCD and SHE+WP+HPBCD. Overall, macromolecule combinations of cyclodextrins and conventional biopolymers in the spray-drying process can enhance the functional properties of H. plicatum extract.

Microencapsulated Bilberry and Chokeberry Leaf Extracts with Potential Health Benefits

The aim of the research was to develop microencapsulated powders of bilberry and chokeberry extracts via the spray drying technique. Two biopolymers, pectin alone and in combination with HP-β-CD, were used to preserve the antioxidant, hypoglycemic, photoprotective, and antimicrobial bioactivity of the berry leaf extracts. Moreover, the formed powders were characterized in terms of technological, chemical, and several biological properties. The obtained micro-sized powders (mean average particle diameter from 3.83 to 5.94 µm) demonstrated a process yield of up to 73%. The added biopolymers improved the flowability and cohesive properties of the powders and increased their thermal stability to 170 °C. The total content of polyphenolics in the powders ranged from 323.35 to 367.76 mg GAE/g DW for bilberry and from 186.85 to 227.59 mg GAE/g DW for chokeberry powders; meanwhile, chlorogenic acid was the predominant compound in powders. All samples showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 values ranged from 5.00 to 19.59 µg/mL) compared with the reference standard. The study confirmed that spray drying is a suitable method for the preservation of the polyphenolic-rich extracts, while the addition of carriers has a positive effect on the improvement of microencapsulated powders' properties.

Microencapsulates of Blue Maize Polyphenolics as a Promising Ingredient in the Food and Pharmaceutical Industry: Characterization, Antioxidant Properties, and In Vitro-Simulated Digestion

An anthocyanin-rich blue maize waste product was used for anthocyanin extraction. To preserve bioactive phenolic compounds, a spray-drying technique was employed using conventional wall material maltodextrin (MD), with novel one, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD). The obtained spray-dried maize extract (SME) and microencapsulates were analyzed based on physicochemical powder properties, chemical analysis, antioxidant activity, and digestibility. The examined microencapsulates demonstrated good powder properties, exhibited a high powder yield (up to 83%), and had a low moisture content (less than 5%). HPBCD and MD + HPBCD combinations demonstrated superior powder properties in the terms of decreasing the time necessary for rehydration (133.25 and 153.8 s, respectively). The mean average particle diameter ranged from 4.72 to 21.33 µm. DSC analyses signified high powder thermal stability, around 200 °C, related to the increasing preservation with biopolymer addition. The total phenolic and anthocyanin compounds ranged from 30,622 to 32,211 mg CE/kg (CE-catechin equivalents) and from 9642 to 12,182 mg CGE/kg (CGE-cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents), respectively, associated with good bioactive compound protection. Microencapsulates with both carriers (15% MD and 15% HPBCD) had the highest digestibility (73.63%). Our results indicated that the microencapsulates created with the active ingredient and the wall materials (MD and HPBCD) could protect phenolic compounds/anthocyanins against ABTS radicals (63.53 and 62.47 mmol Trolox Eq/kg, respectively).

Health Benefits of Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds in the Fruits and Leaves of Lonicera caerulea L. and Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot

Lonicera caerulaea L. and Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot fruits are frequently used for their health benefits as they are rich in bioactive compounds. They are recognized as a source of natural and valuable phytonutrients, which makes them a superfood. L. caerulea presents antioxidant activity three to five times higher than other berries which are more commonly consumed, such as blackberries or strawberries. In addition, their ascorbic acid level is the highest among fruits. The species A. melanocarpa is considered one of the richest known sources of antioxidants, surpassing currants, cranberries, blueberries, elderberries, and gooseberries, and contains one of the highest amounts of sorbitol. The non-edible leaves of genus Aronia became more extensively analyzed as a byproduct or waste material due to their high polyphenol, flavonoid, and phenolic acid content, along with a small amount of anthocyanins, which are used as ingredients in nutraceuticals, herbal teas, bio-cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, food and by the pharmaceutical industry. These plants are a rich source of vitamins, tocopherols, folic acid, and carotenoids. However, they remain outside of mainstream fruit consumption, being well known only to a small audience. This review aims to shed light on L. caerulaea and A. melanocarpa and their bioactive compounds as healthy superfoods with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-diabetic effects, and hepato-, cardio-, and neuro-protective potential. In this view, we hope to promote their cultivation and processing, increase their commercial availability, and also highlight the ability of these species to be used as potential nutraceutical sources, helpful for human health.

Effects of Different Brewing Technologies on Polyphenols and Aroma Components of Black Chokeberry Wine

The black chokeberry is a shrub of the Rosaceae family, which is characterized by strong acidity and astringency and is widely processed into wine and alcoholic beverages. However, due to the characteristics of black chokeberries, the wine brewed by traditional methods often has a strong sour taste, weak aroma, and poor sensory quality. In order to improve the sensory quality and explore the effects of different brewing technologies on polyphenols of black chokeberry wine, five brewing technologies (traditional fermentation, frozen fruit fermentation, co-fermentation, carbonic maceration, and co-carbonic maceration) were used in this study. The results showed that compared with the traditional method, the four alternative brewing technologies could reduce acidity, increase the contents of several major polyphenols, and enrich floral scents and fruity aroma, thus significantly improving the sensory qualities of black chokeberry wine. The proposed brewing technologies would be applied to the production of quality black chokeberry or other fruit wines.

Development of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) waste powder as a potential food ingredient with functional properties

Salta province, northwestern Argentina, produces blueberries for export and discards fruits with a potential quantity of bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds have health-promoting properties that prevent or delay the appearance of chronic diseases. This study aimed to formulate blueberry microcapsules using discarded fruit, to determine and evaluate the effect of spray-drying and lyophilization on the bioactive compounds and their physical properties. Fourteen capsule prototypes were obtained by applying a randomized full factorial design with two factors: type of drying and type of wall material. The former factor had two levels (spray-drying and lyophilization) and the latter had three levels, each with defined quantities to be used, namely maltodextrin (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%), gum Arabic (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%), and modified starch (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%). Spray-drying, lyophilization, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, antioxidant activity, and the physical properties of the microcapsules were analyzed using ANOVA, PCA, and cluster analysis. Results showed significant differences between the two processes (P < 0,05), with lyophilization being better at preserving bioactive compounds. The PCA test also showed a positive association between lyophilization and bioactive compounds, while spray-drying powders were related to negative characteristics, like moisture and water activity.

Encapsulation of anthocyanin-rich extract from black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) pomace by spray drying using different coating materials

This study aimed to encapsulate the anthocyanin-rich extract from black chokeberry pomace by using maltodextrin with different DE values as the base coating material and its blends with gum Arabic, xanthan gum or whey protein isolate.

Anthocyanin content and storage stability of spray/freeze drying microencapsulated anthocyanins from berries: a review

A comprehensive literature search for articles published on spray and freeze-dried anthocyanins from a large variety of berries was performed. Out of a total of two-hundred and eight collected values, anthocyanin content in encapsulates had a 120-fold variation depending on the raw material and type of encapsulating agents. Highest observed anthocyanin concentration amounted to about 3500 mg/100 g powder. In most cases increasing the amount of encapsulant agents led to a noticeable reduction in the concentration of anthocyanins, this being attributable to a predominance of the dilution effect. Retention of encapsulated anthocyanins after storage at 25 °C (in darkness) for periods between 90 and 180 days were in the range of 80–67%, as long as the water activity (aw) was 0.33 or less. Some predicted values of half-time (t1/2) from literature must be taken with precaution since in many cases they were derived from experimental measurements taken at storage times smaller than predicted half times. Anthocyanin degradation during storage occurred even below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the amorphous matrices.

Sustainable food processing of selected North American native berries to support agroforestry

Chokeberries, elderberries, blueberries, and blackberries are highly nutritious native fruits in the US Midwest region. Their high moisture content, delicate structure easily leads to fruit loss/waste. This review focuses on different drying methods for whole fruits and juices to preserve their quality and improve their shelf life. Solar drying, hot-air drying, spray drying, freeze-drying, vacuum-drying, electromagnetic drying, and osmotic dehydration are the commonly used dehydrating methods for berries. Berries are photo, heat-sensitive, and rich source of essential nutrients. Texture, flavor, color, water content, phytonutrients, physicochemical properties can be influenced by dryer and processing parameter selection. Drying is a complex dynamic process, due to structural differences among various foods, combined thermal and non-thermal techniques could improve fruit quality. Hence, knowledge of drying behavior and degradation kinetics is vital for optimizing the process parameters to enhance the fruit quality. Freeze drying and spray drying showed better preservation of nutrients. Existing research suggests that chokeberries (Aronia) are underutilized compared to blueberries and blackberries. Aronia fruit has a lot of potentials containing health-promoting compounds and is yet to be explored. Future research suggestions have been put forward for the efficient use of drying techniques and to improve the fruit quality.

Bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins of encapsulated Thai rice bran extracts during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion

Encapsulation technique was applied to improve the stability of bioactive compounds in bran extracts from Thai rice cultivars (Khao Dawk Mali 105, Kiaw Ngu, Hom Nil, and Leum Pua), using three carriers including gelatin, gum Arabic, and the mixture of gelatin and gum Arabic. The microcapsules obtained using gelatin provided a higher production yield of 76.08, 85.63, 85.63 and 85.59%, respectively. A greater encapsulation efficiency was also observed in the extracts encapsulated with gelatin (93.45, 95.91, 91.19 and 95.09%, respectively). After simulated gastric and intestinal digestion, the microcapsules formed by using gelatin exhibited the higher release of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity than unencapsulated extracts. However, the extracts encapsulated using gelatin and gum Arabic complex yielded the lowest release of bioactive compounds and their antioxidant activity after simulated digestion. The overall results showed that gelatin was an appropriate carrier that could protect bioactive compounds from the digestion conditions.

Moringa oleifera—Storage Stability, In Vitro-Simulated Digestion and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Microencapsulated Extract

Moringa extract was microencapsulated for the first time by spray-drying technique using tragacanth gum (MorTG) to improve its stability under gastrointestinal and storage conditions, assessing total polyphenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Additionally, cytotoxicity of the microencapsulated components was evaluated after contact with Caco-2 cells. Results showed that TPC was released as follows—oral (9.7%) < gastric (35.2%) < intestinal (57.6%). In addition, the antioxidant activity in in vitro digestion reached up to 16.76 ±0.15 mg GAE g−1, which was 300% higher than the initial value. Furthermore, microencapsulated moringa extract presented a half-life up to 45 days of storage, where the noticeably change was observed at 35 °C and 52.9% relative humidity. Finally, direct treatment with 0.125 mg mL−1 MorTG on Caco-2 cells showed a slight antiproliferative effect, with a cell viability of approx. 87%. Caco-2 cells’ viability demonstrated non-cytotoxicity, supporting the safety of the proposed formulation and potential use within the food field.

Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa L.-A Qualitative Composition, Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Potential

Black chokeberry (Aronia melnocarpa) is a source of many bioactive compounds with a wide spectrum of health-promoting properties. Fresh, unprocessed chokeberry fruits are rarely consumed due to their astringent taste, but they are used in the food industry for the production of juices, nectars, syrups, jams, preserves, wines, tinctures, fruit desserts, jellies, fruit teas and dietary supplements. Polyphenols are biofactors that determine the high bioactivity of chokeberries, some of the richest sources of polyphenols, which include anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavonols, flavanols, proanthocyanidins, and phenolic acids. Chokeberry fruit and products have great antioxidant and health-promoting potential as they reduce the occurrence of free radicals. This publication reviewed the scientific research regarding the phenolic compounds and the antioxidant potential of chokeberry fruits, products and isolated compounds. These findings may be crucial in future research concerning chokeberry based functional food products. Chokeberry fruits can be considered as promising component of designed food with enhanced antioxidant potential. However, like other plants and medicinal products of natural origin, black chokeberry requires extensive studies to determine its antioxidant potential, safety and mechanisms of action.

Chokeberry polyphenols preservation using spray drying: effect of encapsulation using maltodextrin and skimmed milk on their recovery following in vitro digestion

Aim: Microencapsulation of chokeberry extracts was performed in order to improve functionality, stability, and bioavailability of extracted polyphenols.Methods: Chokeberry fruits and juice by-product (waste) extracts were spray-dried by using two carriers, maltodextrin and skimmed milk. Morphological and physicochemical characteristics of the obtained powders were analysed. In vitro simulated digestion model was used as an indicator of polyphenolics bioavailability.Results: The moisture content varied between 3.39 and 4.61%, zeta potential had negative values (35-39 mV), maltodetrin powders were smaller (4.27-5.12 µm) compared to skimmed ones (8.50-11.01 µm). All microparticles exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of total polyphenols and anthocyanins (73-97% and 63-96%, respectively). For both extract types, maltodextrin powders released higher phenolics content compared to skimmed milk. During in vitro digestion, maltodextrin exhibited a higher protective effect on both active compounds.Conclusion: Taking into account the obtained results, chokeberry polyphenols stability might be improved using spray drying technique, and maltodextrin showed better properties.

The influence of spray drying parameters and carrier material on the physico-chemical properties and quality of chokeberry juice powder

Chokeberry juice is used in the food industry because of its antioxidant activity as well as anti-diabetes, anti-mutagenic, bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory and anti-virus properties. However in a liquid form its active ingredients can be unstable, so conversion into powder form is required. To improve the quality of the final product and extend information about the properties of chokeberry powder the aim of the study was to examine the relationship of inlet air temperature (160 °C, 200 °C) and carrier type maltodextrin (MD) 10DE and 15.6DE, arabic gum (AG) and their mixtures (AG:MD10 and AG:MD15—1:1, 1:3, 3:1) with the amounts of anthocyanins and polyphenols and selected physical properties of powders obtained after spray drying. Moreover stability of anthocyanin was tested after storage Obtained powders were characterized by low water activity (< 0.26), high dry matter content (97–99%) and good hygroscopic properties. Saccharification level of maltodextrin had no impact on the amount of bioactive components enclosed inside the capsules. Moreover, the mixtures of carriers, AG:MD appeared to have a large potential to ensure a high quality of chokeberry powder with high content of anthocyanin (1694–2028 mg/100 g) and polyphenols (about 3000 mg/100 g d.m.). Storage temperature mostly has no statistically significant influence on content of active ingredients, but an increase in colour coefficents was observed. The contents of anthocyanins and polyphenols were higher in powders stored at 4 °C than at 25 °C.

Beta-Glucan as Wall Material in Encapsulation of Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) Extract

The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of using β-glucan as wall material to microencapsulate the elderberry extract. Firstly, the extract was obtained by the water-acetone extraction method to extract mainly anthocyanins from ground dried fruits. The extract was mixed with wall materials: maltodextrin-β-glucan mixture and the control sample as a widely used combination of maltodextrin and arabic gum (92.5:7.5). In the examined samples the content of β-glucan was 0.5, 1, 2 and 3%. Properties of encapsulated extracts of final powders were measured using particle size and morphology, encapsulation efficiency, color measurement, total anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content (TAC and TAAC) methods. Our results indicated that the β-glucan wall material samples had higher process quality compared to control samples. Addition of β-glucan insignificantly decreases encapsulation efficiency. Among powders with β-glucan content, the powder with 1% β-glucan content was characterized by the smallest (24 μm) particle size. The sample with 2% β-glucan content had the highest water solubility and polydispersity index. Due to the encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, and water solubility index, the optimum condition of microencapsulation process for elderberry extract was for samples with 0.5% β-glucan as wall material content. To conclude, due to high molecular weight of β-glucan the higher than 0.5% ratio of β-glucan is not recommended for spray-drying method. However, small quantity of health-beneficial β-glucan could act as potential encapsulation agent in clean label products to replace Arabic gum.