Development of new generation cakes fortified with zinc oxide nanoparticles

This study aimed to develop new generation cakes that were fortified with calcined ZnO nanoparticles (C_ZnO), uncalcined ZnO nanoparticles (UC_ZnO), beads (B(C_ZnO)) synthesized by encapsulating the C_ZnO with sodium alginate (SA), and the beads (B(UC_ZnO)) synthesized by encapsulating the UC_ZnO with sodium alginate (SA) and investigated the zinc (Zn) release in fortified cakes in simulated body fluids (SBF). The present study represents a novel method for increasing intestinal absorption and bioavailability of dietary zinc with zinc nanoparticles for use in the preparation of Zn fortified cakes as a dietary supplement to compensate for zinc deficiency in humans. The results revealed that a rapid increase in the release time and rate in the SGF solution was noted in the UC_ZnO added cakes. It was attributed to increased intestinal absorption and bioavailability as a result of the ultra-small size of ZnO. Also, ZnO release kinetics in SBF was also studied and data were adjusted into different kinetic models involving zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. The present investigation recommends adding UC_ZnO to the cakes to control and increase the release from the cakes.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05840-x.