Electrosprayed Agar Nanocapsules as Edible Carriers of Bioactive Compounds

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Electrospraying is a versatile technique for producing nano- and microparticles.
• Agar, an edible polysaccharide, is a promising material for developing nanocarriers.
• Controlling electrospraying parameters is crucial for achieving desired particle characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop electrosprayed agar nanocapsules using acetic acid as a solvent.
• To investigate the influence of solution properties and agar/acetic acid concentrations on nanocapsule formation, size, and morphology.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanocapsules as carriers for a model bioactive compound, chlorophyllin sodium copper salt (CHL).

Main Methods:

• Electrospraying of agar solutions in acetic acid.
• Characterization of solution properties (viscosity, surface tension, conductivity).
• Analysis of particle size and morphology using microscopy.
• Encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release studies of CHL in food simulants (10% and 50% ethanol).

Main Results:

• Agar concentrations below 10% w/v were unsuitable for electrospraying.
• An optimal agar-acetic acid ratio of 1:2 was determined for nanostructure formation.
• Particle size ranged from 50 to 400 nm, decreasing with lower agar concentration.
• An encapsulation efficiency of approximately 40% for CHL was achieved.
• CHL release was negligible in 10% ethanol but showed a burst followed by sustained release in 50% ethanol.

Conclusions:

• Electrospraying is effective for producing agar nanocapsules with tunable size and morphology.
• Agar-acetic acid ratio and concentration are critical parameters for successful electrospraying.
• The developed nanocapsules demonstrate potential as carriers for bioactive compounds with controlled release profiles in specific environments.
• These edible polysaccharide-based nanocapsules warrant further investigation for various applications.