Development of a microfluidic route for the formation of gellan-based microgels incorporating jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) extract

Author(s)

Santos, Tatiana Porto ^[1] ; Rodrigues Costa, Ana Leticia ^[1] ; Michelon, Mariano ^[2] ; Costa, Leticia Pontes ^[1] ; Cunha, Rosiane Lopes ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Dept Food Engn, Fac Food Engn, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Rio Grande, Sch Chem & Food, BR-96203900 Rio Grande, RS - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Food Engineering; v. 276, JUL 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Gellan microgels incorporated with jabuticaba extract were produced by external gelation of monodisperse water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. This extract, rich in anthocyanins, has shown antioxidant effect and benefits associated to intestinal issues. The W/O emulsions were produced using a three-dimensional microfluidic device operated in an intermittent dripping regime flow. Microgels were obtained from external gelation of emulsions by calcium ions present in the continuous phase. Our results showed how to produce and control the microgel diameter and polydispersity by varying the flow rate of continuous and dispersed phases. Diameter of microgels ranged from 185 mu m to 342 mu m, and coefficient of variation values varied between 1.6 and 8.6%. The low stability of microgels loaded with jabuticaba extract was mainly associated with both the low gellan concentration and the osmotic pressure difference during storage. In spite of this, the microfluidic route proposed can potentially be used to incorporate and protect anthocyanins extracts and might be extended for other hydrophilic molecules. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/18109-0 - Development of an emulsion stability analyzer from microfluidics
• Grantee: Tatiana Porto dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate