Microencapsulation of astaxanthin based on emulsion solvent evaporation and subsequent spray drying

Abstract

Astaxanthin (AXT) is widely used in the food, drug, and cosmetics fields, but its applications are extremely limited by its intrinsic properties.Herein, a novel encapsulation system had been performed to fabricate AXTloaded microcapsules through emulsion solvent evaporation and spray-dried methodologies. The influence of polylactic acid (PLA) concentrations on the characteristics of AXT-loaded dispersions and resultant microcapsules were investigated. The results showed that the sizes and zeta potentials of dispersions and microcapsules increased with increasing PLA content (9.8 to 24.6 wt%). The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the microcapsules increased with increasing PLA concentration up to 21.4 wt%. The moisture content values, flowability, and bulk density of the obtained microcapsules decreased with increasing PLA content (9.8 to 24.6 wt%). Furthermore, the cell culture experiment indicated that the obtained microcapsules had no cytotoxicity and possessed excellent antioxidant activity. This work provides a new strategy for fabricating AXT-enriched microcapsules and expands their application in nutritional products.

Co-encapsulated astaxanthin and kaempferol nanoparticles: fabrication, characterization, and their potential synergistic effects on treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

“…Astaxanthin/kaempferol co-encapsulated nanoparticles with varying amounts of astaxanthin and kaempferol were fabricated using emulsion/solvent evaporation techniques, 18,19 followed by the obtaining of nanopowder through the spray drying method. This is the most commonly employed methods for the preparation of nanoparticles of bioactive compounds by adjusting the surfactants and encapsulation agents.…”