Encapsulation Techniques of Nutraceutical Extracts and Factors Influencing the Processes -A Review (original) (raw)

Plant extracts contain numerous functional and nutritional components such as polyphenols, antioxidants, tannins, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, folic acid, and other vitamins. These compounds when delivered into our gut might result in antiinflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-infective, anti-ailment, anti-proliferative, anticancer, and antimicrobial functions. To preserve these components, the spray drying technique has been adopted as the most rational approach for heuristic processing and storage. Unfortunately, all these compounds are very much delicate since they are thermodegradative, photodegradative, and highly prone to oxidative damage during processing and long-term storage. Hence to protect their functionality, certain food-grade biopolymers like gelatin, gum arabic, maltodextrin, whey protein isolate, arrowroot starch, chitosan, and alginate are incorporated with them. These polymers embed those bioactive components and preserve their functional aspects during spray drying. They also aid in the controlled release of the encapsulated core compounds while they are passing down the digestive tract hence cater the target compounds.