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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
10:54
Extraction of Plant-based Capsules for Microencapsulation Applications
Published on: November 9, 2016
Porous starch: production methods and encapsulation potential of bioactives
Manisana Athokpam1, Sanstuti Prasad1, Vasudha Sharma2
1Food and Bioprocessing Laboratory, Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Tezpur University, Assam, India.
Journal of Microencapsulation
|June 16, 2026
Summary
Porous starch, a modified starch with internal pores, offers superior encapsulation efficiency for various compounds like curcumin and probiotics. Research highlights its potential using diverse production methods and alternative sources.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Materials Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Starch modification is crucial for advanced material applications.
- Porous starch exhibits unique structural properties beneficial for encapsulation.
- Existing encapsulation methods face limitations in efficiency and yield.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review methods for producing porous starch.
- To explore the encapsulation capabilities of porous starch for diverse payloads.
- To compare porous starch with modified starch as an encapsulation matrix.
Main Methods:
- Physical, chemical, enzymatic, and synergistic methods for porous starch synthesis.
- Evaluation of porous starch for encapsulating curcumin, anthocyanins, probiotics, flavors, essential oils, and pharmaceuticals.
- Comparative analysis of spray drying using porous starch versus modified starch.
Main Results:
- Porous starch demonstrates high encapsulation efficiency and yield, especially when combined with whey protein or gum arabic.
- Synergistic approaches enhance porous starch production.
- Porous starch offers advantages over conventional modified starches in spray drying applications.
Conclusions:
- Porous starch is a promising encapsulation matrix with significant advantages.
- Further research into alternative starch sources like lotus stem is recommended.
- Optimized porous starch production and application can drive innovation in various industries.
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