Kefiran as a Multifunctional Biopolymer: Green Extraction, Structural Characterization and Application in...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biopolymer Chemistry
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Milk kefir grains produce exopolysaccharides like Kefiran.
• Sunflower cake is a rich source of phenolic compounds.
• There is a growing demand for natural food ingredients with antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Kefiran as a biopolymer for encapsulating phenolic extracts from sunflower cake.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Kefiran-based encapsulates.
• To develop novel functional food ingredients using Kefiran and sunflower cake extracts.

Main Methods:

• Kefiran extraction using hot water, acid-assisted, and ultrasound-assisted methods.
• Characterization of Kefiran using spectrophotometry, FTIR, SEM, and TGA.
• Encapsulation of sunflower cake phenolic extracts using Kefiran-based formulations via complex coacervation.
• Evaluation of encapsulation efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction yielded the highest carbohydrate concentration in Kefiran.
• Kefiran-based microcapsules demonstrated high encapsulation efficiencies (83-93%) and good colloidal stability.
• Kefiran extracts and microcapsules exhibited significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against tested pathogens.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound-extracted Kefiran is a suitable biopolymer for encapsulating bioactive compounds.
• Kefiran-based microcapsules can be utilized as natural antimicrobial agents in functional foods.
• This study supports the development of advanced functional food formulations using Kefiran and sunflower cake extracts.