Microencapsulation of Lycopene by Gelatin-Pectin Complex Coacervation

Abstract

The aim of this work was to produce and characterize microcapsules of lycopene and to evaluate their stability in comparison with free lycopene. An oily dispersion of lycopene was encapsulated by complex coacervation using gelatin and pectin. Samples were analyzed at four different pH values (3, 3.5, 4 and 4.5) and three proportions of core (25, 50 and 100%). The moisture, water activity, solubility, hygroscopicity, encapsulation efficiency and stability of lycopene microcapsules kept at 10 and 25C were determined. The amount of lycopene in the microcapsule did not have a significant (P < 0.05) effect on water activity, hygroscopic characteristics or the efficiency of microencapsulation. The degradation of lycopene was linear, with an average loss of 14% per week. Therefore, despite the formation of microcapsules and the high values of encapsulation efficiency, the encapsulation method and the wall materials used in this work did not provide effective protection of the lycopene from degradation during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSBecause of its highly unsaturated structure, lycopene is sensitive to heat and light. Lycopene may undergo two changes during processing and storage: oxidation and isomerization from all-trans to mono-cis or poly-cis. The autoxidation of lycopene is irreversible and leads to the fragmentation of the molecule. Microencapsulation is an innovative technology that protects products from environmental conditions and extends shelf life. Thus, the aim of this work was to produce and characterize microcapsules of lycopene and also to evaluate their stability in comparison with free lycopene.

Development of lycopene-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules: physicochemical characterization and stability study

“…As an antioxidant, Lyc has a singlet-oxygen-quenching ability that is twice that of b-carotene and 10 times higher than that of atocopherol (Silva et al 2012). However, some studies have shown that encapsulation techniques increase the stability of Lyc in the presence of oxygen, heat, and light (Chiu et al 2007; Goula and Adamopoulos 2012;Montenegro et al 2007;Blanch et al 2007).…”

“…Carotenoids may also serve as antioxidants and free-radicalquenching agents. They interact with free radicals and oxygen, inhibiting the propagation step of lipid peroxidation (Silva et al 2012).…”

Microencapsulation and Storage Stability of Lycopene Extracted from Tomato Processing Waste

“…The disc containing specimens was placed in vacuum sublimator sputter coater (JFC -1600, JEOL, Germany) and sprayed with platinum. The stub was placed on a pre-cryogenic electron microscope specimen holder that was pre-frozen by liquid nitrogen and observed at acceleration voltage 10kV and 20kV (Silva et al 2012). …”

“…It reduces low-density lipoprotein oxidation and helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, lycopene can reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin (Rao and Agarwal 1999;Silva et al 2012). The properties, actions and functions of carotenoids, including lycopene, are closely related to their geometric isomers.…”

“…Lycopene is a red colored natural pigment occurring in tomato, guava, rosehip, watermelon and pink grapefruit, and is one of the major carotenoids in the human diet (Silva et al 2012;Srivastva and Srivastva 2015). Regular consumption of food rich in lycopene helps to reduce the risk of developing several types of cancers, including prostate, cervical and breast cancers in humans (Rao and Agarwal 1999;Downham and Collins 2000;Shuet al 2006).…”