Developing Core/Shell Capsules Based on Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose and Gelatin through Electrodynamic Atomization...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Nutraceutical Chemistry

Background:

• Betalains, natural pigments from beetroot, offer health benefits but are unstable.
• Their sensitivity to external factors limits their application in food products.
• Efficient encapsulation is crucial for preserving betalain bioactivity and color.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a core-shell encapsulation system for beetroot betalains.
• To investigate the protective effects of different polymeric matrices (gelatin and HPMC) in core-shell structures.
• To optimize encapsulation for enhanced stability and potential food applications.

Main Methods:

• Extraction and quantification of betacyanin and betaxanthin from red beetroot.
• Coaxial electrospraying to create core-shell capsules using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and gelatin (G).
• Analysis of morphological, optical, structural, thermogravimetric properties, and encapsulation efficiency.

Main Results:

• Successful encapsulation of beetroot betalains into HPMC/G core-shell structures.
• The core-shell structure with gelatin in the core and HPMC in the shell demonstrated superior betalain protection.
• Thermogravimetric and encapsulation efficiency analyses confirmed enhanced stability in the optimized structure.

Conclusions:

• The developed core-shell electrosprayed capsules effectively protect sensitive beetroot betalains.
• The specific arrangement of gelatin and HPMC is key to achieving high encapsulation efficiency and stability.
• This encapsulation strategy shows significant promise for incorporating stable betalains into food products.