Encapsulation of three different types of polyphenols in casein using a customized pH-driven method: Preparation and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biochemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Phenolic compounds possess valuable biological properties but suffer from poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability.
• Encapsulation systems offer a promising strategy to overcome these limitations by enhancing phenolic compound stability and solubility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, customized pH-driven encapsulation approach for phenolic compounds.
• To determine optimal pH conditions for encapsulating ferulic acid, resveratrol, and rhein.
• To enhance the solubility, stability, and antioxidant efficacy of these polyphenols.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of solubility, stability, LogD, and LogS curves for ferulic acid, resveratrol, and rhein at various pH values.
• Encapsulation of polyphenols into casein nanoparticles using identified optimal deprotonation points.
• Characterization of nanoparticles using FTIR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular docking.

Main Results:

• Optimal deprotonation points identified: ferulic acid (pH 9), resveratrol (pH 11), and rhein (pH 10).
• High encapsulation efficiencies achieved (95.86%, 94.62%, 94.18%) with stable casein nanoparticles.
• Spectroscopic and docking studies confirmed polyphenol encapsulation via hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions.
• Casein nanoparticles significantly improved water solubility and antioxidant activity of the encapsulated polyphenols.

Conclusions:

• A customized pH-driven encapsulation technique effectively addresses the instability and degradation issues of polyphenols.
• This method enhances polyphenol solubility, stability, and antioxidant efficacy, paving the way for their use in food and biomedical fields.
• The developed casein nanoparticles offer a promising delivery system for improving the bioavailability and application of natural phenolic compounds.