Microencapsulation of carotenoid-rich materials: A review

Author(s)

Santos, Priscila Dayane de Freitas ^[1] ; Rubio, Fernanda Thais Vieira ^[1] ; Silva, Marluci Palazzolli da ^[1] ; Pinho, Lorena Silva ^[1] ; Favaro-Trindade, Carmen Silvia ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Engn Alimentos, Fac Zootecnia & Engn Alimentos, Ave Duque Caxias Norte 225, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: Food Research International; v. 147, SEP 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Carotenoids are natural pigments that present several bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and provitamin A activities. However, these compounds are susceptible to degradation when exposed to a number of conditions (e.g. light, heat, oxygen), leading to loss of benefits and hampering their application in food products. Their hydrophobicity also makes incorporation into water-based foods more difficult. Microencapsulation techniques have been applied for decades to provide stability to carotenoid-rich extracts under typical conditions of processing and storage of foods, besides offering several other advantages to the use and application of these materials. This work reviews the recent advances in the microencapsulation of carotenoid-rich extracts, oils and oleoresins from varying sources, evidencing the technologies applied to encapsulate these materials, the effects of encapsulation on the obtained particles, and the impact of such processes on the bioaccessibility and release profile of carotenoids from microparticles. Moreover, recent applications of carotenoidrich microparticles in food products are discussed. Most of the applied processes were effective in improving different aspects of the encapsulated materials, especially the stability of carotenoids during storage, resulting in microparticles with promising properties for future applications in food products. However, the lack of information about the effects of microencapsulation on carotenoids during processing of model foods, the sensory acceptance of enriched food products and the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of microencapsulated carotenoids reveals gaps that should be explored in the future. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/24916-2 - Preparation, encapsulation and application of extract of carotenoids obtained from the bark of guarana (Paullinia cupana)
• Grantee: Lorena Silva Pinho
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 16/24895-5 - Coencapsulation of guarana extracts (Paullinia cupana) and probiotics
• Grantee: Marluci Palazzolli da Silva
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate