Microencapsulation of bioactives for food applications

Abstract

Health issues are an emerging concern to the world population, and therefore the food industry is searching for novel food products containing health-promoting bioactive compounds, with little or no synthetic ingredients. However, there are some challenges in the development of functional foods, particularly in which the direct use of some bioactives is involved. They can show problems of instability, react with other food matrix ingredients or present strong odour and/or flavours. In this context, microencapsulation emerges as a potential approach to overcome these problems and, additionally, to provide controlled or targeted delivery or release. This work intends to contribute to the field of functional food development by performing a comprehensive review on the microencapsulation methods and materials, the bioactives used (extracts and isolated compounds) and the final application development. Although several studies dealing with microencapsulation of bioactives exist, they are mainly focused on the process development and the majority lack proof of concept for final applications. These factors, together with the lack of regulation, in Europe and in the United States, delay the development of new functional foods and, consequently, their market entry. In conclusion, the potential of microencapsulation to protect bioactive compounds ensuring their bioavailability is shown, but further studies are required, considering both its applicability and incentives by regulatory agencies.

Food colorants: Challenges, opportunities and current desires of agro-industries to ensure consumer expectations and regulatory practices

“…An increasing delivery of more and more specific products with different formats, colors, tastes, smells, textures and so on, are available in supermarkets, mostly created to ensure consumers' expectations (Ayala-Zavala et al, 2011;Carocho, Barreiro, Morales, & Ferreira, 2014; M. I. Dias, Ferreira, & Barreiro, 2015).…”

“…The yellow to redorange natural food colorant, carminic acid (E120) already exists from synthetic origin, with an established ADI of 5 mg/kg b.w., being largely used for several purposes, such as in cakes, cookies, beverages, jam, jelly, ice creams, sausages, pies, dried fish, yogurt, gelatins, cider, tomato, dairy products, cherries, non-carbonated drinks, chewing gums, pills and cough drops (Bibi, Galvis, Grasselli, & Fernández-Lahore, 2012;Huang, Chiu, Sue, & Cheng, 2003;. Despite synthetic food colorants have presented a large utilization and lower-associated costs than those derived from natural origin, they have been progressively substituted by naturally-derived food colorants, which are safer, specific, absent of side effects and related toxicity, and are also able to confer healthimproving effects and functional benefits (Carocho et al, 2014;M. I. Dias et al, 2015).…”

“…In fact, encapsulation by drying technology and microencapsulation techniques have gained progressively a particular reliability up to a point that are used both in food industries, but also for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes (M. I. Dias et al, 2015;Fernandez et al, 2009;Otálora et al, 2015;Ray et al, 2015). As an example, Venil et al (2015) aiming to assess the spray drying effect on the stability of an encapsulated violet pigment produced from Chromobacterium violaceum UTM 5, described that the high stability of this pigment was achieved at pH 7, temperature 25-60 ºC and under dark conditions, during entire storage period (Venil et al, 2015).…”

“…Consumer demands and their preferences for naturally-derived colorants have increased exponentially, widely associated with the image of healthy, safe and good quality products, which constitutes a great challenge to food industries and related food science research institutions (Carocho et al, 2014;M. I. Dias et al, 2015;Shahid et al, 2013).…”

Spray-drying microencapsulation of synergistic antioxidant mushroom extracts and their use as functional food ingredients

“…Microencapsulation can be applied to protect bioactive natural extracts and some examples calling up this thematic can be found in literature (Dias, Ferreira & Barreiro, 2015). Nevertheless, these studies are mainly related with the microencapsulation process development and do not proceed with the implementation of a final application (functional food) (Ersus & Yurdagel, 2007;Kha, Nguyen & Roach, 2010;Silva, Stringheta, Teófilo & Oliveira, 2013;Saénz et al, 2009;Wu, Zou, Mao, Huang & Liu, 2014).…”