Outer eggshell membrane as delivery vehicle for polysaccharide/protein microcapsules incorporated with vitamin E

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Materials Engineering

Background:

• Natural materials like outer eggshell membrane (OESM) offer unique structural properties.
• Emulsified microcapsules are widely used for controlled release applications.
• Combining natural structures with microcapsules can lead to advanced delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the features of a novel delivery system combining OESM with emulsified microcapsules.
• To evaluate the loading efficiency, controlled release, and forming mechanisms of the OESM/microcapsule system.
• To assess the impact of cross-linking agents and wall materials on system performance.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of polysaccharide/protein microcapsules incorporating vitamin E.
• Attachment of microcapsules to OESM and reinforcement with glutaraldehyde.
• Evaluation of controlled release kinetics and enzymatic degradation resistance.
• Analysis of structural properties and interaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Polysaccharide/protein microcapsules effectively attached to OESM, with attachment strength increased over 2-fold by glutaraldehyde.
• The OESM/microcapsule system demonstrated significantly improved controlled release compared to microcapsules alone due to steric blocking.
• OESM systems with pectin/protein microcapsules exhibited enhanced resistance to enzymatic degradation via compact aggregate formation.

Conclusions:

• The OESM/microcapsule composite system is a promising platform for enhanced controlled release applications.
• Glutaraldehyde cross-linking effectively improves the stability and integration of microcapsules within the OESM matrix.
• The choice of wall material (e.g., pectin/protein) influences the system's resistance to enzymatic degradation, highlighting tunable properties.