Title:Encapsulation of Plant-derived Bioactive Ingredients through Electrospraying for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Applications
Volume: 27
Issue: 17
Author(s): Laura G. Gómez-Mascaraque and Amparo Lopez-Rubio*
Affiliation:
- Food Preservation and Food Quality Department, IATA-CSIC, Avda. Agustin Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia,Spain
Keywords:
Electrospraying, Nutraceuticals, encapsulation, nano- and microencapsulation, electrospraying technique,
phytochemicals.
Abstract: The electrospraying technique, which consists of electrohydrodynamic atomization of polymeric
fluids, can be used to generate dry nano- and microparticles by subjecting a polymer solution, suspension
or melt to a high voltage (typically in the range of 7-20 kV) electric field. This potential can be
exploited for developing nano- and microencapsulation structures under mild temperature conditions.
Thus, it constitutes a promising alternative to conventional microencapsulation techniques for sensitive
ingredients, like most plant-derived bioactive compounds, especially for their application in the food
sector. Given the importance of plants as one of the major sources of dietary bioactive compounds, significant
attention has been recently paid to research the encapsulation of phytochemicals through novel
techniques such as electrospraying, aiming to provide new tools for the development of innovative functional
food products and nutraceuticals. In this review, the latest advances in the application of electrospraying
for nano- and microencapsulation of phytochemicals are discussed, with a focus on their potential
use in the food sector.