One-step assembly of zein/caseinate/alginate nanoparticles for encapsulation and improved bioaccessibility of propolis. Issue 2 (16th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Hao; Fu, Yuying; Xu, Yujuan; Niu, Fuge; Li, Zeya; Ba, Chujie; Jin, Bing; Chen, Guowen; Li, Xiaomeng
• Is Part Of: Food & function. Volume 10:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 635
• Page End: 645
• Publication Date: 2019-01-16
• Subjects: Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; Nutrition -- Periodicals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1039/c8fo01614c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2042-6496

Abstract

Abstract : Propolis loaded zein/caseinate/alginate nanoparticles were fabricated using a facile one-step procedure without using organic solvents and sophisticated equipment. Abstract : The design of zein-based nanoparticles to encapsulate bioactive molecules has gained great attention in recent years. However, the use of ethanol to dissolve zein presents flammability concerns and the scale-up production of zein-based nanoparticles is also a concern. In our study, propolis loaded zein/caseinate/alginate nanoparticles were fabricated using a facile one-step procedure: a well-blended solution was prepared containing deprotonated propolis, soluble zein, dissociated sodium caseinate micelles (NaCas) and alginate at alkaline pH, and then this alkaline solution was added to 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 3.8) to fabricate composite nanoparticles without using organic solvents and sophisticated equipment. During acidification, the alginate molecules adsorbed on the zein/NaCas surfaces by electrostatic complexation, which improved the stability towards aggregation of zein/NaCas nanoparticles under gastrointestinal (GI) or acidic pH. The nanoparticles prepared under the optimized method (method 3 sample) were of spherical morphology with a particle size around 208 nm and a negative zeta potential around −27 mV. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC) of propolis reached 86.5% and 59.6 μg mg −1 by zein/NaCas/alginate nanoparticles, respectively. These nanoparticles were shown to be stable towards aggregation over a wide range of pH values (2–8) and salt concentrations (0–300 mM NaCl). Compared to free propolis, the bioaccessibility of propolis encapsulated with nanoparticles was increased to 80%. Our results showed a promising clean and scalability strategy to encapsulate hydrophobic nutraceuticals for applications in foods, supplements, and pharmaceuticals.