Search Results (124)

This study aimed to microencapsulate Boesenbergia rotunda (fingerroot) extract using maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA) as wall materials via spray-drying to improve powder physicochemical properties and protect bioactive compounds. MD and GA were employed as wall materials in varying ratios (MD:GA of 1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 1:2) to evaluate their effects on the physicochemical properties of the resulting microcapsules. Spray-dried microcapsules were evaluated for morphology, flowability, particle size distribution, moisture content, hygroscopicity, solubility, encapsulation efficiency, major bioactive compound retention, and thermal stability. The extract encapsulation using MD:GA at 1:1 ratio (MD1GA1) demonstrated a favorable balance, with high solubility (98.70%), low moisture content (8.69%), low hygroscopicity (5.08%), and uniform particle morphology, despite its moderate EE (75.06%). SEM images revealed spherical particles with fewer surface indentations in MD-rich formulations. Microencapsulation effectively retained pinostrobin and pinocembrin in all formulations with pinostrobin consistently retained at a higher value, indicating its higher stability. The balanced profile of physical and functional properties of fingerroot extract with MD1GA1 microcapsule makes it a promising candidate for food and nutraceutical applications. Full article

Natural polymer-based nanoparticles have emerged as promising stabilizers for Pickering emulsions, offering biocompatibility, environmental sustainability, and improved protection of active compounds. This study developed chitosan/gum arabic (CH/GA) nanoparticles as solid stabilizers for quercetin-loaded Pickering emulsions to enhance the stability and antioxidant bioactivity of quercetin (QE), a plant-derived flavonoid known for its potent radical-scavenging activity but limited by oxidative degradation. A systematic formulation strategy was employed to evaluate the effects of CH/GA concentration (0.5–2.0% w/v), oil type (olive, soybean, sunflower, and coconut), and oil volume fraction (ϕ = 0.5–0.7) on emulsion stability. The formulation containing 1.5% CH/GA and olive oil at ϕ = 0.6 exhibited optimal physical and interfacial stability. Quercetin (0.1% w/w) was incorporated into the optimized emulsions and characterized for long-term stability, particle size, droplet morphology, rheology, antioxidant activity (DPPH), cytocompatibility, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) protection using HaCaT keratinocytes. The olive oil-based formulation (D1-QE) exhibited greater viscosity retention and antioxidant stability than its soybean-based counterpart (E2-QE) under both room temperature (RT) and accelerated heating–cooling (H/C) storage conditions. Confocal microscopy confirmed the accumulation of CH/GA nanoparticles at the oil–water interface, forming a dense interfacial barrier and enhancing emulsion stability. HPLC analysis showed that D1-QE retained 92.8 ± 0.5% of QE at RT and 82.8 ± 1.5% under H/C conditions after 30 days. Antioxidant activity was largely preserved, with only 4.7 ± 1.7% and 14.9 ± 4.8% loss of DPPH radical scavenging activity at RT and H/C, respectively. Cytotoxicity testing in HaCaT keratinocytes confirmed that the emulsions were non-toxic at 1 mg/mL QE and effectively reduced H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress, decreasing intracellular ROS levels by 75.16%. These results highlight the potential of CH/GA-stabilized Pickering emulsions as a polymer-based delivery system for maintaining the stability and functional antioxidant activity of QE in bioactive formulations. Full article

After cannabidiol was extracted from the hemp biomass using supercritical CO₂ extraction, the residual could be utilized as a source of other valuable ingredients. The stability of the extracted CBD in pre- and post- encapsulation states were evaluated. Dynamic macerations with ethanol and hexane were compared for CBD extraction. The ethanol extract yielded 0.11% ± 0.10 CBD and 1.83% ± 0.00 cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), while the hexane extraction yielded 0.08% ± 0.04 CBD, 1.06% ± 0.04 CBDA, and 0.30% ± 0.04 delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Ethanol extraction was selected due to the low THC detection in the extract. The CBD extract was encapsulated using water soluble yellow mustard mucilage (WSM), maltodextrin (MD), gum Arabic (GA), and protein extracted from the hemp biomass waste (HBP) via freeze drying. The WSM-MD-GA 1:5 particle formulation exhibited superior thermal stability over 72 h, whereas the WSM-HBP-GA 1:5 formulation offered the most protection against UVa-induced degradation within the same duration. Incorporating hemp biomass protein as an encapsulation material enhanced protection against light exposure through UV absorption, although it did not grant thermal protection. These findings indicated that encapsulation significantly protects against CBD degradation when subjected to thermal and light conditions compared to non-encapsulated CBD. Full article

The preservation of chilled fresh pork is an issue that has widely drawn significant attention. A novel microcapsule was developed in this study, specifically a composite plant essential oil microcapsule (CEO mps) prepared using gum arabic (GA) and an inclusion compound of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), in which AITC is encapsulated within the cavity of β-CD molecules. In this formulation, AITC functions as an antibacterial agent, while the essential oils provide antioxidant properties that further enhance bacterial inhibition. The encapsulation ratio of AITC to β-CD was optimized at 1:1, with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) hydrogen spectroscopy confirming that AITC was incorporated into β-CD through its wider cavity. The morphology and structure of CEO mps were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and laser particle size analysis, and these were compared to those of AITC mps—microcapsules prepared with GA and β-CD as wall materials and AITC as the core material. The results indicated that CEO mps exhibited superior appearance and physical stability in comparison to AITC mps. The release rate of CEO mps was evaluated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), revealing sustained release characteristics. On day 12, cumulative releases for AITC, eugenol, cuminal, and thymol were 61.82%, 57.96%, 44.34%, and 38.65%. Finally, the efficacy of CEO mps in preserving chilled pork was assessed by measuring pH levels, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), color parameters (L*, a*, b*), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARSs), water loss, and total microbial counts. The results demonstrated that CEO mps significantly inhibited microbial growth in chilled pork, reduced TBARS and TVB-N values, and helped preserve meat color integrity, thereby effectively extending shelf life by approximately six days. Overall, the experimental findings confirmed that the developed CEO mps possess both antibacterial and antioxidant properties, thereby improving both the shelf life and organoleptic quality of chilled pork. Full article

Fresh Welsh onions are widely used in food formulations due to their distinctive flavor and biological properties, but their high perishability limits their industrial applications. In this study, powdered Welsh onion leaf juices were obtained through freeze-drying, with and without maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA) as carrier agents. MD was chosen for its high solubility and neutral taste, while GA was selected for its ability to improve powder stability and dispersibility. Powders were obtained using a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of five MD:GA ratios (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0) on their physicochemical and technological properties. The addition of carriers enabled the formation of fine, homogeneous powders with higher water solubility. All formulations exhibited low water activity (<0.4) and moisture content (<7%). Polyphenol content ranged from 2.60 to 3.53 mg GAE/g of dry matter, with a high recovery percentage (94–96%). DPPH^• scavenging activity was about 0.55 mg GAE/g of dry matter for all powders with carrier agents. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the presence of characteristic bands from both the carrier agents and the onion leaf juice, while thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed enhanced thermal stability with carrier agents. Flowability tests showed that MD and MD:GA blends significantly improved powder handling. Full article

Gum Arabic (GA), or acacia gum, refers to the dried exudate produced by certain Acacia trees. GA is composed mainly of a mixture of polysaccharides and glycoproteins, with proportions that can slightly differ from one species to another. It is commonly utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a stabilizer or an emulsifier owing to its biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and antibacterial properties. In addition, GA can be manipulated as it possesses many functional groups that can be used in grafting, cross-linking, or chemical modifications to add a new feature to the developed material. In this review, we highlight recent GA-based formulations, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, membranes, or scaffolds, and their possible applications in tissue regeneration, cancer therapy, wound healing, biosensing, bioimaging, food packaging, and antimicrobial and antifouling membranes. Full article

Spray-drying is a common technique for the microencapsulation of bioactive compounds, which is crucial for improving their stability and bioavailability. In this study, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical properties and in vitro bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from spray-dried encapsulated phenol-rich extracts of grape pomace, a winery waste, were evaluated. Sodium alginate alone (SA) or in a mixture with gum Arabic (SA-GA) or gelatin (SA-GEL) was used as a coating. SA-GEL achieved the highest EE (95.90–98.01%) and outperformed the intestinal release of phenolics by achieving a bioaccessibility index (BI) for total phenolic compounds of 37.8–96.2%. The release mechanism of phenolics from the microcapsules adhered to Fickian diffusion. Encapsulation significantly improved the BI of individual phenolics, with the highest BI values for gallocatechin gallate (2028.7%), epicatechin gallate (476.4%) and o-coumaric acid (464.2%) obtained from the SA-GEL microcapsules. Structural analysis confirmed amorphous matrices in all systems, which improved solubility and stability. These results suggest that encapsulation by spray-drying effectively protects phenolics during digestion and ensures efficient release in the intestine, which improves bioaccessibility. This study contributes to the understanding of biopolymer-based encapsulation systems, but also to the valorisation of grape pomace as a high-value functional ingredient in sustainable food processing. Full article

Essential oils exhibit antioxidant properties but are prone to oxidative degradation under environmental conditions, making their preservation crucial. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical properties of nanoencapsulated essential oils (EOs) extracted from the peel of sweet lemon, mandarin, lime, and orange using four formulations of wall materials consisting of gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), and casein (CAS). The results showed that EOs from sweet lemon, mandarin, lime, and orange showed higher solubility (79.5% to 93.5%) when encapsulated with GA/MD. Likewise, EOs from sweet lemon showed the highest phenolic content when using GA/CAS (228.27 mg GAE/g sample), and the encapsulated EOs of sweet lemon and mandarin with GA/MD/CAS (1709 and 1599 μmol TE/g) had higher antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, higher encapsulation efficiency was obtained in EOs of lime encapsulated with GA/MD (68.5%), and the nanoencapsulates of EOs from sweet lemon with GA/MD had higher D-limonene content (613 ng/mL). Using gum arabic and maltodextrin increased the encapsulation efficiency and D-limonene content in EO of sweet lemon. On the other hand, the formulations with casein were the most efficient wall materials for retaining D-limonene from the EOs of mandarin, lime, and orange. Full article

The aim of this study was to determine the retention of fatty acids, α-tocopherol, and carotenoids in sea buckthorn oil (SBO) encapsulated with gum arabic (GA), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and their mixture (1:1) under pre-optimized spray drying conditions in comparison to the bioactive molecule (BAM) content of the non-encapsulated oil. In addition, the color parameters in the spray-dried powders and the bioaccessibility of β-carotene, which has the highest provitamin A activity, were evaluated. The fatty acid content remained almost unchanged, while statistically significant differences in α-tocopherol and carotenoid content were found between the SBO encapsulated with different carriers and the non-encapsulated oil. The retention of tocopherols and carotenoids compared to the non-encapsulated SBO ranged from 62.13 to 87.23% and from 21.17 to 97.61%, respectively. SBO encapsulated with β-CD showed significantly higher retention of α-tocopherol (87.23%) and individual carotenoids (40.71–97.61%). In addition, the powders showed no significant differences in color parameters, and the powders encapsulated with GA and β-CD showed high bioaccessibility of β-carotene (92.50 and 90.45%, respectively). β-CD proved to be the most suitable carrier for the encapsulation of the carotenoids and α-tocopherol of SBO, resulting in powders with high bioaccessibility of β-carotene. Full article

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum, L.) is a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants, but its intense flavor, poor solubility, and instability may limit its widespread and efficient use in industrial applications. In a series of laboratory-scale experiments, gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) were used as coating agents in various proportions (ranging from 0MD:100GA to 100MD:0GA) for encapsulation of clove extract using a freeze-drying method. The encapsulates were assessed for the physicochemical properties, storage stability behavior, and intestinal bioaccessibility of phenolics using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion test. The freeze-dried encapsulates were characterized as having low water activity (<0.3, which is a critical threshold to ensure chemical and microbiological stability), high water solubility (>90%), solid (product) recovery (mean 93.1 ± 1.77%), and encapsulation efficiency (91.4−94.9%). Hygroscopicity increased as the GA:MD proportion increased in the encapsulation formulations. Encapsulation was effective in protecting bioactive components of clove extract during storage at room (up to 40 days) or high temperature (60 °C for 7 days) and minimized the loss of antioxidant activity during storage, as compared to the clove extract in a non-encapsulated form. All encapsulation formulations were characterized by a negative zeta potential (from −22.1 to −29.7 mV) and a polydispersity index ranging from 0.47 to 0.68, classifying the formulations as having a mid-range polydisperse particle size distribution. The FTIR analysis demonstrated that the freeze-drying encapsulation process resulted in no evident chemical interaction between coating and core materials. Intestinal bioaccessibility of total phenolics after the in vitro-simulated gastrointestinal digestion was greater in the encapsulated clove extract compared to the non-encapsulated clove extract. In conclusion, the encapsulation process was effective in protecting the bioactivity of the polyphenol-rich clove extract during storage and improved the phenolic bioaccessibility, potentially supporting the application of the encapsulated clove extract for use in functional food development. Full article

Liquid vermicompost (LVC) is one of the organic ingredients for improving plant growth. This study aims to investigate the impact of the application of LVC coating formulations in distinct ratios on seeding emergence, seedling growth parameters, and nitrogen content as well as the systemic uptake characteristics in seedlings. Coating formulations contained gum arabic (GA) mixed with 5–15% of LVC and were applied to pumpkin seeds and compared to non-coated seeds. All samples were stored under cold and ambient conditions for 3 months to evaluate the performance of the coating. Results showed no statistical distinctions in the percentage of seedling emergence. Nevertheless, the 5LVC-GA in the organic formulation significantly increased shoot length, seedling growth rate (SGR), seedling vigor index (SVI), and nitrogen content (%) in the coated seedlings. Additionally, the evaluation of seedling uptake was achieved using rhodamine B as a fluorescent tracer which was diluted in the organic formulation. This explored the transportation of the treatment within a seedling. Therefore, the application of an optimum concentration of 5LVC-GA treatment can improve seedling growth and nitrogen accumulation. This could be confirmed with fluorescence imaging of translocation to seedling organs. However, seed storability declines over three months, emphasizing the need for better coatings and packaging solutions. Full article

The focus of this study was to enhance the CO₂ capture capabilities of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanocomposite membranes by reinforcing them with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and silica (SiO₂). These nanocomposite membranes were created using electrospinning technology, which produced nonwoven nanofiber membranes. The nanoparticles were functionalized using Gum Arabic (GA) to improve the distribution and prevent agglomeration. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were conducted to examine the functionalization of nanoparticles and their morphological structures. The membranes were experimentally characterized to obtain the CO₂ absorption properties and also to evaluate CO₂/N₂ permeation properties compared to pure PAN membranes. The results showed that higher nanoparticle concentrations increased CO₂ permeability while maintaining stable N₂ permeability, ensuring favorable CO₂/N₂ selectivity ratios. The 4 wt.% MWCNTs nanocomposite membrane achieved the best CO₂/N₂ separation with a CO₂ permeability of 289.4 Barrer and a selectivity of 6.3, while the 7 wt.% SiO₂ nanocomposite membrane reached a CO₂ permeability of 325 Barrer and a selectivity of 7. These findings indicate significant improvements in CO₂ permeability and selectivity for the nanocomposite membranes compared to pure PAN membranes. The Maxwell mathematical model has been used to validate the experimental results. The experimental results of the CO₂ separation properties of the nanocomposite membranes exceeded the predicted values by the mathematical models. This might be due to the well-dispersed nanoparticles and functional groups. Full article

This study evaluated Maltodextrin (MD), Gum Arabic (GA), and Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in different ratios as coating materials to encapsulate citrus pomace phenolic compounds. Citrus encapsulates were obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction followed by the freeze-drying process and were characterized regarding the microencapsulation efficiency, physical, and chemical properties. Carrier material choice reflected a significant effect on encapsulation efficiency, phenolic compounds retention, and reconstitution properties of encapsulated extract. The encapsulation efficiency of prepared encapsulates ranked from 50.909% to 84.000%, and it was strongly dependent upon CMC addition. A wide range of reconstitution parameters (water absorption index-WAI and water solubility index-WSI) suggested possible release mechanism modifications. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of three main phenolic compounds, namely Hesperidin, Naringin, and Rutin. A wall material mixture of MD, GA, and CMC in the same proportions was optimal for freeze-drying. This combination resulted in encapsulates with a low moisture content (1.936 ± 0.012%) and a low water activity (0.110 ± 0.001), indicating prolonged stability. Based on the obtained results, freeze-drying as an encapsulation technique should be considered as a promising solution to recover compounds from industry byproducts and protect them from environmental and gastrointestinal circumstances. Full article

Garambullo fruit (Myrtillocactus geometrizans) is a rich source of phytochemical compounds that exhibit antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and anti-inflammatory activities, helping to prevent diseases associated with oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate phenolic compound (PC), betalain (BL), betaxanthin (BX), and betacyanin (BC) contents, and in vitro biological activities (antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and anti-inflammatory) in microencapsulated garambullo extract during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and storage. Microencapsulation was performed using spray drying. Arabic Gum (GA, 10% in feed solution) and soy protein isolate (SPI, 7% in feed solution) were used as wall materials. After in vitro digestion, the microcapsules (GA, SPI) exhibited higher bioaccessibility (p ≤ 0.05) of PC, BL, BX, and BC, and higher antioxidant activity (AA), compared to the non-encapsulated extract. Both microcapsules showed bioaccessibility in anti-hyperglycemic activity: α-amylase (GA: 90.58%, SPI: 84.73%), α-glucosidase (GA: 76.93%, SPI: 68.17%), and Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) (GA: 52.81%, SPI: 53.03%); and in anti-inflammatory activity: cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) (GA: 78.14%, SPI: 77.90%) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (GA: 82.77%, SPI: 84.99%). During storage, both microcapsules showed a similar trend with a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in PC (GA: 39.29%, SPI: 39.34%), BL (GA: 21.17%, SPI: 21.62%), BX (GA: 23.89%, SPI: 23.45%), BC (GA: 19.55%, SPI: 19.84%), and AA (GA: 41.59%, SPI: 42.51%) after 60 days at 30 °C. Both microcapsules retained anti-hyperglycemic activity evaluated by the inhibitory activity of α-amylase (GA: 68.84%, SPI: 70.18%), α-glucosidase (GA: 59.93%, SPI: 58.69%), and DPP-4 (GA: 52.81%, SPI: 53.01%), and anti-inflammatory activity evaluated by the inhibitory activity of COX-1 (GA: 82.18%, SPI: 82.81%) and COX-2 (GA: 81.11%, SPI: 81.08%). Microencapsulation protected the phytochemical compounds and in vitro biological activities by allowing controlled release during in vitro digestion compared to the non-encapsulated extract. However, after 60 days storage at 30 °C, 60% of PC and AA, 80% of BL, BX, and BC, and 20–45% of the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory activity were lost. Full article

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from plants has several bioactivities, such as neurotransmission, anti-cancer cell proliferation, and blood pressure control. Its bioactivities vary when exposed to pH, heat, and ultraviolet. This study analyzed the protective effect of the GABA encapsulation technique using gum arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) and the freeze-drying method. The impact of different ratios of the wall material GA and MD on morphology, GABA content, antioxidant activity, encapsulation efficiency, process yield, and physical properties were analyzed. Results showed that the structure of encapsulated GABA powder was similar to broken glass pieces of various sizes and irregular shapes. The highest GABA content and encapsulation efficiency were, respectively, 90.77 mg/g and 84.36% when using the wall material GA:MD ratio of 2:2. The encapsulated powder’s antioxidant activity was 1.09–1.80 g of encapsulation powder for each formula, which showed no significant difference. GA and MD as the wall material in a 2:2 (w/w) ratio showed the lowest bulk density. The high amount of MD showed the highest Hausner ratio (HR), and Carr’s index (CI) showed high encapsulation efficiency and process yield. The stability of encapsulated GABA powder can be kept in clear glass with a screw cap at 35 °C for 42 days compared to the non-encapsulated one, which can be preserved for only 18 days under the same condition. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the freeze-drying process for GABA encapsulation preserved GABA component extracts from brown rice while increasing its potential beneficial properties. Using a wall material GA:MD ratio of 2:2 resulted in the maximum GABA content, solubility, and encapsulation efficiency while having the lowest bulk density. Full article