Yvonne Serfert

Characterization of the spray drying behaviour of emulsions containing oil droplets with a structured interface

The aim of this study was to characterize the process of atomization and drying of layer-by-layer emulsions containing lecithin (single layer emulsion) and lecithin/chitosan (bilayer emulsion) and the oxidative stability of the microcapsules during storage. For this purpose, the analysis of the emulsion spray droplet size during two-fluid nozzle and rotary atomization was carried out to identify suitable process parameters. The drying behaviour of single and bilayer emulsions was investigated by calculation of the volume flow density during single-droplet drying during acoustic levitation. In spray-dried solid particles, the oxidative stability in the single layer microcapsules was higher than in the bilayer microcapsules. This was partly attributed to lower microencapsulation efficiency in the bilayer microcapsules compared to the single layer microcapsules. Furthermore, it could be shown, that excess chitosan in the bulk carrier matrix affects the free volume elements and thus oxygen diffusion.

Enhancing the antibacterial efficacy of isoeugenol by emulsion encapsulation

Food spoilage and foodborne illnesses are two global challenges for food manufacturers. Essential oils are natural antibacterials that could have a potential for use in food preservation. Unfortunately high concentrations are needed to obtain the desired antibacterial effect, and this limits their use in food due to their adverse organoleptic properties. Encapsulation could make essential oils more effective by concentrating them in the aqueous phase of the food matrix where the bacteria are present. Here we tested encapsulation of the essential oil isoeugenol in spray-dried emulsions as a means of making isoeugenol a more effective antibacterial for use in food preservation. We used β-lactoglobulin and n-OSA starch as emulsifiers, and some emulsions were coated with positively charged chitosan to promote the contact with bacteria through electrostatic interactions. The antibacterial efficacy was quantified as the minimal bactericidal concentration in growth media, milk and carrot juice. The emulsion encapsulation system developed in this study provided high loading capacities, and encapsulation enhanced the efficacy of isoeugenol against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria in media and carrot juice but not in milk. Chitosan-coating did not enhance the efficacy further, possibly due to the aggregation of the chitosan-coated emulsions. The encapsulation system is easy to upscale and should be applicable for encapsulation of similar essential oils. Therefore, we believe it has potential to be used for natural food preservation.

Antimicrobial effect of emulsion-encapsulated isoeugenol against biofilms of food pathogens and spoilage bacteria

Food-related biofilms can cause food-borne illnesses and spoilage, both of which are problems on a global level. Essential oils are compounds derived from plant material that have a potential to be used in natural food preservation in the future since they are natural antimicrobials. Bacterial biofilms are particularly resilient towards biocides, and preservatives that effectively eradicate biofilms are therefore needed. In this study, we test the antibacterial properties of emulsion-encapsulated and unencapsulated isoeugenol against biofilms of Lis. monocytogenes, S. aureus, P. fluorescens and Leu. mesenteroides in tryptic soy broth and carrot juice. We show that emulsion encapsulation enhances the antimicrobial properties of isoeugenol against biofilms in media but not in carrot juice. Some of the isoeugenol emulsions were coated with chitosan, and treatment of biofilms with these emulsions disrupted the biofilm structure. Furthermore, we show that addition of the surfactant Tween 80, which is commonly used to disperse oils in food, hampers the antibacterial properties of isoeugenol. This finding highlights that common food additives, such as surfactants, may have an adverse effect on the antibacterial activity of preservatives. Isoeugenol is a promising candidate as a future food preservative because it works almost equally well against planktonic bacteria and biofilms. Emulsion encapsulation has potential benefits for the efficacy of isoeugenol, but the effect of encapsulation depends on the properties of food matrix in which isoeugenol is to be applied.

Comparative Evaluation of Diagnostic Tools for Oxidative Deterioration of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid-Enriched Infant Formulas during Storage

The challenge in the development of infant formulas enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is to meet the consumers’ expectations with regard to high nutritional and sensory value. In particular, PUFAs may be prone to fatty acid oxidation that can generate potential rancid, metallic and/or fishy off-flavors. Although such off-flavors pose no health risk, they can nevertheless lead to rejection of products by consumers. Thus, monitoring autoxidation at its early stages is of great importance and finding a suitable analytical tool to perform these evaluations is therefore of high interest in quality monitoring. Two formulations of infant formulas were varied systematically in their mineral composition and their presence of antioxidants to produce 18 model formulas. All models were aged under controlled conditions and their oxidative deterioration was monitored. A quantitative study was performed on seven characteristic odor-active secondary oxidation products in the formulations via two-dimensional high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry (2D-HRGC-MS/O). The sensitivity of the multi-dimensional GC-MS/O analysis was supported by two additional analytical tools for monitoring autoxidation, namely the analysis of lipid hydroperoxides and conjugated dienes. Furthermore, an aroma profile analysis (APA) was performed to reveal the presence and intensities of typical odor qualities generated in the course of fatty acid oxidation. The photometrical analyses of lipid hydroperoxides and conjugated dienes were found to be too insensitive for early indication of the development of sensory defects. By comparison, the 2D-HRGC-MS/O was capable of monitoring peroxidation of PUFAs at low ppb-level in its early stages. Thereby, it was possible to screen oxidative variances on the basis of such volatile markers already within eight weeks after production of the products, which is an earlier indication of oxidative deterioration than achievable via conventional methods. In detail, oxidative variances between the formulations revealed that lipid oxidation was low when copper was administered in an encapsulated form and when antioxidants (vitamin E, ascorbyl palmitate) were present.

Interfacial Engineering for the Microencapsulation of Lipophilic Ingredients by Spray-Drying

The present work is based on the idea that tailoring specific structures at the interfaces of an emulsion or at the surface of a drying droplet can be used to modify or improve the functionality of microcapsules prepared by spray-drying. A top-down approach was chosen to define the required functionality of the microcapsules and to identify important physical and technical variables using quality function deployment. On this basis milk proteins were chosen as surface-active carrier matrix constituent. Process windows were defined showing that β-lactoglobulin-stabilised emulsions are physically stable during atomisation and drying. Interfacial activity and rheology of the protein-stabilised interfacial film could be improved through enzymatic hydrolysis of the protein. The presence of peptides at the oil–water interface significantly increased the stability of the encapsulated material. Functionality was also increased by either formation of β-lactoglobulin fibrils or bilayer formation with pectin as anionic counterpart for stabilisation of the interfacial protein film. Although differences in the stability of the encapsulate were observed, when using different types of pectin, no clear relationship with the molecular structure of pectin could be established. In summary, the present study clearly identifies relevant variables to tailor spray-dried particles with a physical structure suitable for the microencapsulation of lipophilic ingredients and offers a range of techniques to improve the functionality through interfacial engineering.