Pickering Emulsion Droplet-Derived Multicompartmentalized Microspheres for Innovative Applications.
Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Multicompartmentalized microspheres with multilevel and complex interior structures have great potential in practical applications due to their cell-like structures and microscale dimension. The Pickering emulsion droplet-confined synthesis route has been demonstrated to be a promising strategy for fabricating multicompartmentalized microspheres. Since Pickering emulsion-templated formation of hollow microspheres is an interface-directed process in which the growth of shells occurs at the oil/water interface and the confined space of Pickering emulsion droplet accommodates a variety of behaviors, such as surfactant-guided assembly growth, confined pyrolysis transformation, tritemplated growth, and bottom-up assembly, the independent and free regulation of the interface and internal structure of microspheres is allowed. In this Perspective, we highlight the recent progress in the synthesis of microparticles with tunable interior structures via the Pickering emulsion droplet-based approach. And we delve into the innovative applications of these multilevel-structured microparticles benefiting from their biomimetic multicompartments. Finally, some fundamental challenges and opportunities are identified for regulating the interior structure within microspheres and promoting practical applications by virtue of the Pickering emulsion droplet-confined synthesis pathway.
10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00135
The Potential Application of Pickering Multiple Emulsions in Food.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
Emulsions stabilized by adsorbed particles-Pickering particles (PPs) instead of surfactants and emulsifiers are called Pickering emulsions. Here, we review the possible uses of Pickering multiple emulsions (PMEs) in the food industry. Food-grade PMEs are very complex systems with high potential for application in food technology. They can be prepared by traditional two-step emulsification processes but also using complex techniques, e.g., microfluidic devices. Compared to those stabilized with an emulsifier, PMEs provide more benefits such as lower susceptibility to coalescence, possible encapsulation of functional compounds in PMEs or even PPs with controlled release, etc. Additionally, the PPs can be made from food-grade by-products. Naturally, w/o/w emulsions in the Pickering form can also provide benefits such as fat reduction by partial replacement of fat phase with internal water phase and encapsulation of sensitive compounds in the internal water phase. A possible advanced type of PMEs may be stabilized by Janus particles, which can change their physicochemical properties and control properties of the whole emulsion systems. These emulsions have big potential as biosensors. In this paper, recent advances in the application of PPs in food emulsions are highlighted with emphasis on the potential application in food-grade PMEs.
10.3390/foods11111558
Application of Pickering emulsions in probiotic encapsulation- A review.
Current research in food science
Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to host organisms when consumed in adequate amounts and are often incorporated into foods for human consumption. However, this has negative implications on their viability as large numbers of these beneficial bacteria are deactivated when subjected to harsh conditions during processing, storage, and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. To address these issues, numerous studies on encapsulation techniques to protect probiotics have been conducted. This review focuses on emulsion technology for probiotic encapsulation, with a special focus on Pickering emulsions. Pickering emulsions are stabilized by solid particles, which adsorb strongly onto the liquid-liquid interfaces to prevent aggregation. Pickering emulsions have demonstrated enhanced stability, high encapsulation efficiency, and cost-effectiveness compared to other encapsulation techniques. Additionally, Pickering emulsions are regarded as safe and biocompatible and utilize natural materials, such as cellulose and chitosan derived from plants, shellfish, and fungi, which may also be viewed as more acceptable in food systems than common synthetic and natural molecular surfactants. This article reviews the current status of Pickering emulsion use for probiotic delivery and explores the potential of this technique for application in other fields, such as livestock farming, pet food, and aquaculture.
10.1016/j.crfs.2022.09.013
Effects of Polygonatum cyrtonema extracts on the antioxidant ability, physical and structure properties of carboxymethyl cellulose-xanthan gum-flaxseed gum active packaging films.
Food chemistry
A novel film composed of Polygonatum cyrtonema extracts (PCE), xanthan gum (XG), flaxseed gum (FG) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was prepared (XFCP). Addition of PCE has decreased the light transmittance, while enhanced the UV blocking performance, antioxidant activity, tensile strength and elongation at break of XFCP due to polysaccharides, polyphenols, and flavonoid in PCE. Structural analyses by FTIR and XRD indicated the hydrogen-bonding interaction between PCE, XG, FG and CMC. It was found that compared with the control sample, XFCP2.5% with the lowest WVTR was able to prolong the shelf life of mango. The overall quality of mango was also improved in terms of lower decay rate, weight loss rate, total soluble solid, and polyphenol oxidase, higher titratable acidity, V, and superoxide dismutase than control mango upon 8 days of storage. This effectively expanded the application of PCE into food packaging in addition to merely as Chinese traditional medicine herbs.
10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134320
Development of antioxidant active packaging films with slow release properties incorporated with tea polyphenols-loaded porous starch microcapsules.
International journal of biological macromolecules
Slow release active packaging films can realize the sustained release of active agents and prolong the shelf life of food. For this aim, a novel slow release active polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film was developed by using solution casting method. With porous starch loaded with tea polyphenols (PSTP) as core material and maltodextrin (MD) as wall material, PSTP@MD microcapsules were prepared using freeze drying method and used as slow release carrier of tea polyphenols (TP) in the active films. The interactions between PSTP@MD microcapsules and PVA molecular chains were physical interactions. In addition, the relative crystallinity of the slow release active films was reduced to 23.74 %. The addition of PSTP@MD microcapsules can enhance the ductility of active films and reduce the water content and swelling degree of active films by 46.74 % and 54.38 %, respectively. Moreover, the thermal stability, water vapor and ultraviolet barrier properties of active films were promoted. The transparency and antioxidant activity of active films was high, and the radical scavenging activity of active films was 58 %. The encapsulation of TP with PSTP@MD microcapsules can realize the slow release of TP. The slow release active films had antioxidant activity and sustained release properties, which could be used as an active packaging film to extend the shelf life of food.
10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.143
Encapsulation of amino acids in water-in-oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by gum arabic and xanthan gum.
International journal of biological macromolecules
In this study, several kinds of amino acids were successfully encapsulated in a W/O/W emulsion produced using a two-step emulsification process. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) was used as a hydrophobic emulsifier in the oil phase, while gum arabic (GA) and xanthan gum (XA) were used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in the outer water (W) phase, respectively. The stability and encapsulation efficiency of the W/O/W emulsions depended on the ratio of W/O emulsion to W phase, as well as the concentration of GA and XA within the outer W phase. A W/O/W emulsion prepared using 2 % (w/w) GA and 0.3 % (w/w) XA in the W phase exhibited good stability and a high encapsulation efficiency (>80 %) for several amino acids. As the hydrophobicity of amino acids and storage temperature increased, the leakage from the W to W phases increased, which can be attributed to increasing solubility in the oil phase. The encapsulation efficiency of lysine encapsulated in GA-XA-stabilized W/O/W double emulsion was over 84 % after 28 days storage at 4 °C. These results indicate that double emulsions may be useful for the encapsulation of amino acids, which may be useful to protect them from their environment and mask bitter flavors.
10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.150
Encapsulation of resveratrol-loaded Pickering emulsions in alginate/pectin hydrogel beads: Improved stability and modification of digestive behavior in the gastrointestinal tract.
International journal of biological macromolecules
In this study, alginate/pectin hydrogel beads were prepared with different mixing ratios (9:1, 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, and 5:5) to encapsulate resveratrol-loaded Pickering emulsions using Ca crosslinking. The system with a suitable ratio of pectin and alginate can enhance the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study confirmed that the hydrogel beads were spherical, in which Pickering emulsion was distributed evenly within the polymer network. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) study indicated that the hydrogel beads were formed by physical cross-linking. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study demonstrated that resveratrol existed in hydrogel beads with an amorphous or dissolved form. Besides, the stability and antioxidant capacity suggested that hydrogel beads could offer protection to resveratrol by preventing degradation through environmental stresses, while maintaining its antioxidant capacity. Importantly, hydrogels significantly reduced the release of free fatty acids and resveratrol during in vitro digestion compared to emulsions, especially with the appropriate ratio of sodium alginate and pectin. Overall, Pickering emulsions-loaded alginate/pectin hydrogel beads could offer a novel option for the preparation of low-calorie foods and a potential substitute model for controlling the release of free fatty acids contributing to the transportation of resveratrol.
10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.175