The encapsulation of curcumin by whey protein: Assessment of the stability and bioactivity

Abstract

Aims:The aims of the present work were to encapsulate curcumin in denaturated whey protein isolate and investigate the physicochemical and morphological properties of whey protein isolate-based nanoparticles (WPI-NPs).Methods: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphological properties of WPI-NPs. The crystalline structure of the developed NPs was evaluated by using an X-ray diffraction technique. Antiradical activity of pure and loaded curcumin was also tested. in vitro release of curcumin into the simulated stomach and small intestine was evaluated. The stability of pure and encapsulated curcumin against pH and oxidation was compared.Results: WPI-NPs had a spherical shape-like structure with smooth surface. The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin in WPI-NPs was found to be 93.1%, demonstrating that the encapsulation system used in the present work was effective to entrap curcumin molecules. WPI-NPs showed more stability at pH 7, indicating that the developed system is suitable for application of beverages with neutral pH. Furthermore, the encapsulation of curcumin into nanoparticles led to improvement of the oxidation stability of curcumin from 10% to 70%. The developed nanoparticles improved the release of curcumin in the simulated gastrointestinal tract. The release of curcumin in simulated gastric medium was low, but in the intestine, most of the curcumins were released in the early hours. The release of curcumin followed non-Fickian mechanism in the intestine and stomach environment.Conclusion: The developed encapsulation system can be introduced as a viable strategy to improve the bioavailability of curcumin.Practical Applications: Considering the diverse biological activity of curcumin and high oxidation stability of WPI-NPs, the developed nanoparticles can be used as a valuable additive compound in food and pharmaceutical systems, especially in beverages with neutral pH.

pH‐sensitive soluble soybean polysaccharide/SiO2 incorporated with curcumin for intelligent packaging applications

“…Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound derived from the ground rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. Curcumin possesses diverse biological effects such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti‐HIV activities (Solghi, Emam‐Djomeh, Fathi, & Farahani, 2020). It also has been reported that this bioactive compound can be used in treating Parkinson's and Alzheimer's patients (Robles‐Almazan et al., 2017).…”

Encapsulation of ginger essential oil in chitosan‐based microparticles with improved biological activity and controlled release properties

“…Encapsulation is one of the most effective approaches to enhance the water solubility and stability of bioactive compounds (Seyedabadi et al., 2021; Solghi et al, 2020). This process causes the homogenization of ingredients in a solution containing the macromolecules and emulsifiers for the formation of a stable emulsion (Simon‐Brown et al., 2016).…”

Entrapment of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Molecules in Beads Prepared from Isolated Denatured Whey Protein

“…WPI has also been shown to improve the storage stability of payloads and resistance to oxidation [ 15 ]. The hydrophobic small molecule, curcumin, for example, is quickly degraded at physiological pH and is also sensitive to light [ 16 ].…”

“…However, it exhibits increased stability against oxidation in the presence of protein [ 16 ]. Solghi et al demonstrated a 60% improvement in oxidative stability when curcumin was encapsulated in dWPI nanoparticles [ 15 ].…”