Preparation, Evaluation and Characterization of Rutin-Chitooligosaccharide Complex

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Material Science

Background:

• Rutin, a flavonoid, has beneficial bioactivities but is limited by bitterness and poor water solubility.
• These properties hinder its use in functional foods.
• Developing novel delivery systems is crucial for enhancing rutin's applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize a novel complex of rutin and chitooligosaccharide (Rutin-COS).
• To evaluate the impact of spray-drying and freeze-drying methods on Rutin-COS properties.
• To assess the improved water solubility, reduced bitterness, and enhanced bioactivities of the complex.

Main Methods:

• Complexation of rutin with chitooligosaccharide (COS) using spray-drying and freeze-drying techniques.
• Characterization of the Rutin-COS complex using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), 1H-NMR, and Rotating-frame Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy (ROESY).
• Evaluation of water solubility, bitterness, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial activity.

Main Results:

• Spray-drying proved more effective than freeze-drying for creating a stable Rutin-COS complex.
• The spray-dried Rutin-COS exhibited significantly increased water solubility and reduced bitterness compared to native rutin.
• Enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities were observed in the spray-dried Rutin-COS complex.
• Complexation was confirmed to involve hydrogen bonds between rutin's A and B rings and COS.

Conclusions:

• Spray-drying is a superior method for producing stable Rutin-COS complexes with improved functional properties.
• The Rutin-COS complex overcomes the limitations of rutin, making it suitable for functional food applications.
• This study highlights the potential of complexation with COS to enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of rutin.