Bio-Based Nanoparticles as a Carrier of β-Carotene: Production, Characterisation and In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion

Abstract

β-carotene loaded bio-based nanoparticles (NPs) were produced by the solvent-displacement method using two polymers: zein and ethylcellulose. The production of NPs was optimised through an experimental design and characterised in terms of average size and polydispersity index. The processing conditions that allowed to obtain NPs (<100 nm) were used for β-carotene encapsulation. Then β-carotene loaded NPs were characterised in terms of zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency. Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were performed for further morphological and chemical characterisation. In the end, a static in vitro digestion following the INFOGEST protocol was performed and the bioaccessibility of β-carotene encapsulated in both NPs was determined. Results show that the best conditions for a size-controlled production with a narrow size distribution are lower polymer concentrations and higher antisolvent concentrations. The encapsulation of β-carotene in ethylcellulose NPs resulted in nanoparticles with a mean average size of 60 ± 9 nm and encapsulation efficiency of 74 ± 2%. β-carotene loaded zein-based NPs resulted in a mean size of 83 ± 8 nm and encapsulation efficiency of 93 ± 4%. Results obtained from the in vitro digestion showed that β-carotene bioaccessibility when encapsulated in zein NPs is 37 ± 1%, which is higher than the value of 8.3 ± 0.1% obtained for the ethylcellulose NPs.

Intake of nanoparticles and impact on gut microbiota: in vitro and animal models available for testing

“…Thus, it reduced the final extent of lipid digestion in the small intestine, as well as decreased the bio accessibility of the encapsulated carotenoids. The same trend was observed by Afonso et al (2020), and concluded that zein NPs are better carriers of β-carotene than ethyl cellulose, for crossing GIT conditions. Thus, the compounds used to produce the particles have huge impact in their stability, dictating their successful bioavailability in the intestinal phase.…”

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles for the Encapsulation and Gastrointestinal Release of Vitamin B9 and Vitamin B12

“…It is of utmost importance to evaluate the bioaccessibility of a bioactive compound under simulated gastrointestinal conditions because the harsh digestive environment can decrease their bioaccessibility by inducing changes in their physicochemical properties. However, their bioaccessibility can be increased due to enhanced solubility in the gastrointestinal media due to the presence of lipid micelles . As depicted in Figure , despite the amounts of both VB9 and VBB12 released being higher in their free form than those observed for encapsulated compounds, the bioaccessibility of the molecules at the end of the study significantly increased when encapsulated ( p < 0.05).…”

Natural colorants from vegetable food waste: Recovery, regulatory aspects, and stability—A review

“…Afonso et al. (2020) reported that this technique has been used to encapsulate β‐carotene in polymers as ethylcellulose (particle size: 60 nm, encapsulation efficiency: 74%) and zein (particle size: 83 nm, encapsulation efficiency: 93%).…”

“…The most widely used nanoencapsulation methodology applied to carotenoids is nanoprecipitation (Fuenmayor et al, 2021). Afonso et al (2020) reported that this technique has been used to encapsulate β-carotene in polymers as ethylcellulose (particle size: 60 nm, encapsulation efficiency: 74%) and zein (particle size: 83 nm, encapsulation efficiency: 93%).…”