Strategies to improve barrier properties of spray dried particles

• Grant number: 24/08097-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Louise Emy Kurozawa
• Grantee: Louise Emy Kurozawa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Douglas Fernandes Barbin ; Juliano Lemos Bicas ; Raul Favaro Nascimento ; Rosiane Lopes da Cunha

Abstract

Microencapsulation of ingredients by spray drying has been used in the food industry to increase their stability during processing and storage and to allow their controlled release. However, it may present low encapsulation efficiency, which may result in active compounds exposed on the particles surface, compromising the protection characteristics. Thus, the search for strategies to minimize this problem becomes necessary, aiming to increase the protection of microencapsulated ingredients and allow adequate release. The present proposal aims to investigate three strategies to improve the barrier properties of microparticles: (i) the use of protein in combination with maltodextrin in the wall material, aiming to form a protein film on particle surface; (ii) microencapsulation of multilayer emulsions; and (iii) coating of microparticles by fluidized bed. Different microencapsulated ingredients with different polarities and volatilities will be evaluated in the proposal, such as: the lipophilic compounds non-volatile (eg. linseed oil and ergocalciferol) and volatile (eg. orange essential oil) and the hydrophilic compounds non-volatie (eg. ascorbic acid, iron and grape juice) and volatile (liquid smoke). As encapsulating agents, maltodextrin combined with different proteins will also be evaluated, such as rice and carob protein concentrate and its hydrolysates and whey protein isolate. The microparticles will be evaluated for surface composition by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), microscopy, encapsulation efficiency, and retention of the encapsulated compound. The effect of the strategies adopted in this proposal will also be evaluated on: (i) oxidative stability and controlled release of volatile compounds during storage, (ii) stability of microparticles during a food processing, and (iii) digestibility in vitro. (AU)