Microencapsulation of Bioactive Compounds and Potential Application in Functional Product

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive compounds (polyphenols, carotenoids, phytosterols, aromatic compounds, etc.) are natural food components that provide nutritional and health benefits. Their use has been increased in recent years in the food industry due to consumer concerns about the safety of synthetic ingredients. Bioactive compounds are added to food products for the flavouring, colouring, preservation and enhancement of health-promoting properties, but the main problem is their susceptibility to various processing and storage conditions. Microencapsulation is a useful technology that protects these compounds from degradation, increases their bioavailability, masks their undesirable characteristics and improves shelf life. Several advanced microencapsulation techniques have been explored in recent years, such as spray-drying and electrostatic extrusion used for the preservation of natural bioactive compounds. The appropriate selection of encapsulation techniques and conditions, such as carrier agents, ratio of carrier and substrate, drying temperature, feed flow rate, inlet air temperature, etc., may influence encapsulation efficiency and quality of the final product. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to gather the most recent contributions and findings concerning the microencapsulation efficiency and recent advances in microencapsulation processes, as well as their future perspectives in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Dr. Sandra Pedisić
Prof. Dr. Verica Dragović-Uzelac
Guest Editors

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