Encapsulation of antioxidant peptide enriched casein hydrolysate using maltodextrin-gum arabic blend

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Material Science

Background:

• Antioxidant peptide enriched casein hydrolysate (AO-CH) shows potential as a functional food ingredient.
• Direct application of AO-CH faces challenges like bitterness and stability.
• Encapsulation is a viable strategy to enhance AO-CH properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the encapsulation of AO-CH using maltodextrin-gum arabic (MD/GA).
• To evaluate the effect of encapsulation on AO-CH bitterness, antioxidant activity, and particle size.

Main Methods:

• Optimized encapsulation parameters including core-to-coat ratio and MD/GA proportions.
• Investigated encapsulation efficiency (EE) across a pH range of 2-8.
• Assessed bitterness, antioxidant activity retention, and particle size of the encapsulated product.

Main Results:

• Maximum EE of 87% achieved at a 1:20 core-to-coat ratio, pH 6.0, and 8:2 MD/GA ratio.
• Encapsulated AO-CH exhibited significantly reduced bitterness (p < 0.05).
• High retention of antioxidant activity (93%) and a narrow particle size range were observed.

Conclusions:

• Optimized encapsulation effectively protects AO-CH, reducing bitterness and preserving antioxidant capacity.
• The encapsulated AO-CH demonstrates improved stability and suitability as a functional food additive.
• This method offers a promising approach for incorporating AO-CH into various food products.