L-ascorbic acid microencapsulated with polyacylglycerol monostearate for milk fortification

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is crucial for health but unstable in food matrices.
• Iron fortification of milk is common, but can lead to undesirable sensory changes.
• Microencapsulation offers a method to protect sensitive ingredients like L-ascorbic acid.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of microencapsulating L-ascorbic acid using polyglycerol monostearate (PGMS).
• To assess the chemical and sensory stability of L-ascorbic acid and iron-fortified milk during storage.
• To determine the optimal coating-to-core material ratio for microencapsulation.

Main Methods:

• Microencapsulation of L-ascorbic acid and ferric ammonium sulfate using PGMS.
• Evaluation of microencapsulation efficiency at different coating-to-core ratios.
• Storage studies of fortified milk, monitoring L-ascorbic acid release and chemical indicators (TBA value).
• Sensory analysis of milk samples after storage.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high microencapsulation efficiency of 94.2% with a 5:1 coating-to-core ratio.
• Observed a rapid release of ascorbic acid from microcapsules within the first 5 days of storage.
• Milk fortified with encapsulated iron and unencapsulated L-ascorbic acid showed the lowest TBA values.
• Sensory analysis indicated no significant differences between control and fortified milk after 5 days.

Conclusions:

• PGMS is a suitable material for microencapsulating L-ascorbic acid for milk fortification.
• Microencapsulated L-ascorbic acid and iron can be used to produce acceptable fortified milk products.
• Further research may be needed to optimize L-ascorbic acid release profiles for extended shelf-life.