Development of polysaccharide emulsion filled gels incorporated with vitamins D3 and B12

Author(s)

Marluci Ghiraldi

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Pirassununga.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Zootecnica e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZE/BT)
• Defense date: 2018-08-07

Examining board members

Samantha Cristina de Pinho; Izabela Dutra Alvim; Rosiane Lopes da Cunha; Milena Martelli Tosi

• Advisor: Samantha Cristina de Pinho

Abstract

Interest in the vegetarian and vegan product market has grown sharply over the past decade, with new fortified food products being continuously introduced into this market segment. As a large part of the vegan public has deficiencies in the intake of vitamins D3 and B12, it becomes interesting to develop products with addition of these vitamins as food fortifiers. The main objective of this research was to produce and characterize an emulsion-laden pectin gel incorporating vitamins D3 and B12. The emulsions were produced with flaxseed oil as dispersed phase and inulin associated with gum arabic as stabilizers. The emulsion was produced by the high shear method, in citrate buffer (pH 4.0) (due to the improved stability of vitamin B12 at such pH) and at low temperature (30 °C) to minimize vitamin D3 degradation. The emulsions were evaluated using laser diffraction, being stable over 30 days of storage and with an average diameter of 2.75 ± 0.25 µm. Vitamin D3 was not degraded in the evaluated period. The gels were produced with low amidated methoxylation pectin (LMa pectin) using a concentration of 4% (w/w) at 60°C with 30% (w/w) sucrose, 0.1% (w/w) of CaCl2.2H2O in citrate buffer (pH 4.0). The emulsion replaced a percentage of 60% (w/w) of the gel matrix aqueous phase and strong emulsion-filled gels were obtained. Through rheological and uniaxial compression tests, it was possible to verify that the emulsion-filled gels have a stronger structural lattice than the uncharged gel, showing that the particles are active. The gel filled with 40% aqueous phase replacement was the strongest gel therein, and the vitamins were added to it. Vitamin B12 was shown to be stable, as were the colorimetric parameters of filled and unfilled gels after 30 days. Therefore, it was possible to produce emulsion-filled pectin gels and to incorporate vitamins D3 and B12, which were shown to be stable over the storage time. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/21760-1 - Development of polysaccharide emulsion-filled gels incorporating vitamins d and B12
• Grantee: Marluci Ghiraldi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master