Stability of iron and ascorbic acid microparticles obtained by pickering emulsions stabilized by whey protein microgel

• Grant number: 25/03265-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Louise Emy Kurozawa
• Grantee: Mariana Arantes Motta e Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/08097-8 - Strategies to improve barrier properties of spray dried particles, AP.R

Abstract

The fortification of staple foods with iron and ascorbic acid has been widely used in the food industry. The microencapsulation by spray drying can assist the process, promoting protection to the encapsulated compounds. When encapsulated from multiple emulsions, the protective barrier is even more efficient, especially when the water/oil interface is stabilized using microgel, a technique known as pickering. Whey protein has good emulsifying properties and reduces the interfacial tension between the phases, favoring stabilization. Thus, the project aims to analyze the stability of ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid microparticles obtained by the spray drying microencapsulation technique from multiple pickering emulsions (water/oil/water) stabilized with protein microgel. The variation of the microgel concentration in the aqueous phase will be strategies adopted to see the influence on the stability of the particles and the encapsulation efficiency of the active compounds.