Verica Đorđević

Encapsulation Technologies for Food Industry

The food processing industry is one of the largest manufacturing industries worldwide. This industry handles and processes numerous raw materials and finished products in powdered and particulate forms. New trends of living impose food which fulfill many criteria (tasteful, healthy, of nice appearance). Therefore, the improvement of the existing technologies and development of the new ones is inevitable. In this sense, future competitiveness may be critically dependent on the knowledge obtained by research activities in the field of encapsulation technologies. Encapsulation has a large impact on different aspects of food industry as it is evidenced from the huge number of published scientific papers, patents, and reports. Driven by the increasing consumers’ demand for more healthy, tasty, and safe food products, the need for edible systems able to protect and release functional compounds and the necessity for creation of a more sustainable industry, encapsulation has covered many issues relevant to food and nutrition.

Nanoscale nutrient delivery systems

Abstract This chapter gives an overview of nanoencapsulation technologies that can be used by food manufacturers to develop effective nutrient delivery systems. The direct use of essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, peptides, amino acids, etc.) in food production and their biological activity on consumption are restricted by various physicochemical and biological constraints. The first part of the chapter summarizes encapsulation benefits (increased stability against physical, chemical or enzymatic degradation, reduction of undesired tastes/odors, conversion of liquids to solid forms, controlled release, etc.) with a special focus on increased bioavailability. Then, the physicochemical and physiological conditions prevailing in different regions of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are described in relation to the impact of encapsulation on the bioaccessibility of nutrients. The main part of the chapter refers to different techniques used to fabricate nanoparticulate encapsulates, described from the engineering aspect, that is, the impact of process conditions on nanoparticle properties. Advantages and limitations of nanoencapsulation technologies versus common microencapsulation technologies are emphasized to get a critical point of view on perspectives for industrial applications. Finally, characteristics (composition, structure, dimensions, interfacial properties, loading, and stability) of different nanoparticle-based delivery systems (micelles, nanoemulsions, complexes, lipid-based nanoparticles, and biopolymer-based nanoparticles) are compared with a special focus on release properties.

Chemometric evaluation of binary mixtures of alginate and polysaccharide biopolymers as carriers for microencapsulation of green tea polyphenols

ABSTRACT In this study principal component analysis and artificial neural networks were used to evaluate the potential of using binary mixtures of sodium alginate and other polysaccharide biopolymers as the carriers for microencapsulation of green tea bioactive compounds. Using binary mixtures of alginate and adjunct biopolymers increased the particle size (from 722 to 1344 µm) and textural parameters of the microbeads. Chemometric techniques revealed the combination of biopolymers and their ratio as the main factors influencing the encapsulation performance. The combination of alginate with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and locust bean gum enabled to retain the highest (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine contents, the highest total phenols encapsulation efficiency, and their most retarded release in water, confirming these as the best delivery systems of polyphenol-type active compounds and signifying their potent food applications.

Novel approaches in nanoencapsulation of aromas and flavors

Abstract In recent years, people’s dietary habits become more oriented toward healthy, safe, and, at the same time, tasty food. The perception of food taste is mostly affected by the addition of flavors and aromas during processing. Due to sensitivity of flavors and aromas in their native form, aroma encapsulation is already well established in the food industry. The benefits ascribed to encapsulation are reflected in easier handling of liquid flavors by its conversion into a dry form, improved stability when exposed to oxygen, light, and/or elevated temperatures, improved shelf-life, decreased release of volatile flavor components, masking of off-flavors and off-tastes, ability to impact textural properties of final products, and prolonged/controlled release. Among numerous encapsulation methods, spray drying has been predominantly used for encapsulation of flavors and aromas. However, the innovations in the field of encapsulation, particularly galloping nanotechnologies, have gained considerable attention from the food sector in the past decade, with applications for aromas as well as for other food compounds. This chapter reviews the current state of knowledge on nanoencapsulation of aromas and flavors, overviewing the processes and techniques utilized for coacervation, nanoprecipitation, molecular inclusion, and production of nanoparticulate formulations such as nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid–lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructure lipid carriers (NLCs). Furthermore, the chapter gives insight into physicochemical and morphological characteristics of aroma nanoencapsulates, summarizing advantages and limitations of aroma nanoscale formulations versus microparticle formulations produced by conventional microencapsulation technologies. Finally, a critical prospect of potential application of aroma nanoencapsulates in real food products will be given, supported by examples available in literature.

6: Isolation, Purification and Encapsulation Techniques for Bioactive Compounds from Agricultural and Food Production Waste

Rice is a staple food in most Asian countries and a source of energy for 30 per cent of the world’s population (Muller-Fischer 2013). For human consumption, rice is usually processed by being milled and polished into white grain. Rice processing typically yields 56-58 per cent milled white rice (head rice), 10-12 per cent broken grain, 18-20 per cent husk and 10-12 per cent bran (Kahlon and Chow 2001). Head rice is the main commercial product, while the remaining categories constitute rice waste or by-products. Straw is also considered rice waste and its yield per ratio to grain is 1:6 (Schiere et al. 2004). Straw and husk are mainly used for non-food purposes, such as animal feed, craft art, chemical industries and amino acids (Matano et al. 2014, Van Soest 2006). Bran contains the majority of functional substances of rice grain and is unstable due to its oil and lipase content (Kahlon and Chow 2001). This paper provides a review of the bioactive compounds in rice waste and their extraction, isolation and utilisation.

Comparative Effects of Span 20 and Span 40 on Liposomes Release Properties

Abstract Liposomes are known as convenient carriers for a broad range of actives. The release rate of actives can be adjusted/controlled by the addition of different surfactants. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two surfactants, Span 20 and Span 40, on liposomes release properties. In particular, the study shows how the membrane modification affects the mass transfer resistances and liposome size compared with the common liposomes. The aqueous extract of thyme was used as a model substance. It is a valuable source of natural antioxidants – polyphenols. The diffusion of polyphenols from native thyme extract (un-encapsulated) and from different types of liposomes was conducted using Franz diffusion cell. The results were approximated with Fick’s second law and they implied that liposomes modified with Span 20 provided the slowest release of polyphenolic compounds due to the highest value of mass transfer resistance (2.523 × 106 s/m).

Biomembranes from slaughterhouse blood erythrocytes as prolonged release systems for dexamethasone sodium phosphate

The present study investigated preparation of bovine and porcine erythrocyte membranes from slaughterhouse blood as bio‐derived materials for delivery of dexamethasone‐sodium phosphate (DexP). The obtained biomembranes, i.e., ghosts were characterized in vitro in terms of morphological properties, loading parameters, and release behavior. For the last two, an UHPLC/–HESI–MS/MS based analytical procedure for absolute drug identification and quantification was developed. The results revealed that loading of DexP into both type of ghosts was directly proportional to the increase of drug concentration in the incubation medium, while incubation at 37°C had statistically significant effect on loaded amount of DexP (P < 0.05). The encapsulation efficiency was about fivefold higher in porcine compared to bovine ghosts. Insight into ghosts’ surface morphology by field emission‐scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy confirmed that besides inevitable effects of osmosis, DexP inclusion itself had no observable additional effect on the morphology of the ghosts carriers. DexP release profiles were dependent on erythrocyte ghost type and amount of residual hemoglobin. However, sustained DexP release was achieved and shown over 3 days from porcine ghosts and 5 days from bovine erythrocyte ghosts.