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Encapsulation of β-Carotene by Emulsion Electrospraying Using Deep Eutectic Solvents
Ahmet Ozan Basar1,2, Cristina Prieto1, Erwann Durand3,4
1Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, IATA-CSIC, 46980 Valencia, Spain.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 27, 2020
Summary
Whey protein concentrate (WPC) capsules effectively encapsulated beta-carotene using deep eutectic solvents (DES) and electrospraying. The resulting WPC capsules demonstrated superior stability for the bioactive compound.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Materials Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Encapsulation of poorly water-soluble compounds like beta-carotene is crucial for enhancing bioavailability and stability.
- Traditional solvents often pose environmental and safety concerns.
- Deep eutectic solvents (DES) offer a promising alternative due to their unique properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the encapsulation of beta-carotene within whey protein concentrate (WPC) capsules using emulsion electrospraying.
- To evaluate the efficacy of different DES formulations as solvents in this process.
- To assess the stability of the encapsulated beta-carotene.
Main Methods:
- Emulsion electrospraying technique utilized for WPC capsule formation.
- Four DES formulations based on choline chloride with various co-solvents (water, propanediol, glucose, glycerol, butanediol) were tested.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were employed for characterization.
- Photo-oxidation stability studies were conducted.
Main Results:
- Successful encapsulation of beta-carotene in a solubilized form within WPC capsules.
- The DES formulation of choline chloride and butanediol yielded capsules with the highest carotenoid loading capacity.
- SEM confirmed the formation of uniform, spherical capsules approximately 2 µm in size.
- ATR-FTIR indicated the presence of DES within the WPC capsules.
- Encapsulated beta-carotene exhibited significantly enhanced stability against photo-oxidation compared to free beta-carotene.
Conclusions:
- The combination of DES and electrospraying is a highly effective method for encapsulating and stabilizing insoluble bioactive compounds like beta-carotene.
- WPC-based capsules loaded with DES-solubilized beta-carotene offer excellent protection against degradation.
- This approach holds significant potential for applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries.
