Using a bacterial fucose-rich polysaccharide as encapsulation material of bioactive compounds

Sofia C. Lourenço, Cristiana A.V. Torres, Daniela Nunes, Paulo Duarte, Filomena Freitas, Maria A.M. Reis, Elvira Fortunato, Margarida Moldão-Martins, Luísa Beirão da Costa, Vítor D. Alves

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The potential of a bacterial exopolysaccharide named FucoPol, produced by the bacterium Enterobacter A47, as encapsulation matrix was explored. Spherical capsules with a smooth surface were produced by spray drying. The obtained microcapsules had average diameters ranging from 0.5 to 26.7 μm and presented thin walls (thickness from 222 to 1094 nm). The capsules were loaded with two bioactive compounds: gallic acid (GA) and oregano essential oil (OEO). Both bioactive materials were encapsulated in FucoPol particles, retaining their antioxidant activity after the drying process. Release studies showed that GA release in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was faster than that of OEO, envisaging that the latter had established stronger interactions with the polymer matrix. These results suggest that FucoPol has a good potential for use as encapsulating material of bioactive compounds for application in several areas, including food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1099-1106
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Biological Macromolecules
Volume104
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2017

Keywords

  • FucoPol
  • Gallic acid
  • Microencapsulation
  • Oregano essential oil
  • Spray drying

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