Recent developments in chitosan encapsulation of various active ingredients for multifunctional applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Microencapsulation is a key technology for delivering active ingredients in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, agriculture, and textile industries.
• Chitosan, a biocompatible polysaccharide, is a promising material for microencapsulation due to its non-toxic and biodegradable properties.
• Chitosan coatings enhance food product shelf-life and drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the formation, properties, and microencapsulation processes involving chitosan.
• To discuss the selection of core and shell materials for chitosan-based microcapsules.
• To highlight the diverse applications of chitosan-encapsulated active ingredients.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on chitosan and microencapsulation techniques.
• Analysis of chitosan formation and properties.
• Examination of various microencapsulation processes and resulting morphologies.
• Case studies on chitosan encapsulation of active ingredients.

Main Results:

• Chitosan's unique properties facilitate effective encapsulation of diverse active ingredients.
• Chitosan microcapsules demonstrate significant potential in food preservation and targeted drug delivery.
• The review covers material selection, process parameters, and application-specific outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan microencapsulation is a versatile and effective technique with broad industrial applications.
• Further research into chitosan-based systems can optimize ingredient delivery and product stability.
• Chitosan's biocompatibility and biodegradability make it an environmentally friendly encapsulation solution.