Spray‐drying microencapsulation of pomegranate juice increases its antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion

• Published in: International journal of food science & technology Vol. 56; no. 10; pp. 5089 - 5096
• Main Authors: Álvarez‐Cervantes, Pedro, Cancino‐Díaz, Juan Carlos, Fabela‐Illescas, Héctor Enrique, Cariño‐Cortés, Raquel, López‐Villegas, Edgar Oliver, Ariza‑Ortega, José Alberto, Belefant‐Miller, Helen, Betanzos‐Cabrera, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2021
• Subjects: Antibacterial activity; antibacterial properties; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Bioavailability; Diameters; Digestion; Drying; food science; fruits; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; gum arabic; in vitro digestion; Juices; Maltodextrin; maltodextrins; Microcapsules; Microencapsulated pomegranate juice; Microencapsulation; Oxidation; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Plant extracts; polyphenol; pomegranate juice; pomegranates; solvents; Spray drying
• ISSN: 0950-5423; 1365-2621
• DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.15093

Summary Most of the work on pomegranate antioxidant and antibacterial activity has been carried out with solvent extracts of different plant or fruit parts. Biosensitive compounds in juice may be subject to oxidation, reducing their biological activities. Microencapsulation can be used to protect compounds, allowing its incorporation into functional foods. This study aimed at investigating antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion of microencapsulated juice. Pomegranate juice was encapsulated by spray drying its maltodextrin and gum arabic. The average diameter of the microcapsules was 10–50 µm. We evaluated the bioaccessibility of microencapsulated phenolic compounds by using an in vitro enzymatic digestion. The total phenolic content in digested microencapsulated juice was three times greater than in undigested, indicating that the compounds were made bioaccessible. Digestion also increased antioxidant activity, as measured by ABTS●+ or by DPPH●. Additionally, microencapsulated pomegranate juice showed antibacterial activity against the nine bacteria species tested. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of microencapsulated pomegranate juice after in vitro digestion.