In vitro bioaccessibility evaluation of chlorophyll pigments in single and binary carriers

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Chlorophyll, a vital plant pigment, possesses health benefits but faces challenges in bioavailability.
• Microencapsulation is a promising technique to protect and deliver bioactive compounds like chlorophyll.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various carrier agents on chlorophyll microencapsulation and its subsequent in vitro bioaccessibility.
• To determine the optimal encapsulation system for enhanced chlorophyll delivery.

Main Methods:

• Chlorophyll extraction and microencapsulation using diverse carrier agents.
• In vitro digestion and micellarization assays to assess bioaccessibility.
• Analysis of particle size, zeta potential, PDI, and pigment recovery.

Main Results:

• Microencapsulation significantly altered particle characteristics post-digestion.
• The I-W-Chl system exhibited the highest total chlorophyll recovery (54%) and micellarization rate (43%).
• Total chlorophyll bioaccessibility varied by carrier agent, ranging from 7% to 20%, with I-W-Chl showing the greatest efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Carrier agent selection critically influences chlorophyll bioaccessibility and delivery efficiency.
• Optimized microencapsulation systems can serve as effective delivery vehicles for health-promoting compounds like chlorophyll.