Aim: To prepare sweet tea extract microcapsules (STEMs) via a spray-drying by applying different wall material formulations with maltodextrin (MD), inulin (IN), and gum arabic (GA). Methods: The microcapsules were characterised by yield, encapsulation efficiency (EE), particle size, sensory evaluation, morphology, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and in vitro digestion studies. Results: The encapsulation improved the physicochemical properties and bioactivity stability of sweet tea extract (STE). MD5IN5 had the highest yield (56.33 ± 0.06% w/w) and the best EE (e.g. 88.84 ± 0.36% w/w of total flavonoids). MD9GA1 obtained the smallest particle size (642.13 ± 4.12 nm). MD9GA1 exhibited the highest retention of bioactive components, inhibition of α-glucosidase (96.85 ± 0.55%), α-amylase (57.58 ± 0.99%), angiotensin-converting enzyme (56.88 ± 2.20%), and the best antioxidant activity during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Conclusion: The encapsulation of STE can be an appropriate way for the valorisation of STE with improved properties.

BACKGROUNDSilkworm (Bombyx moil L.) Pupa protein (SPP) is a high-quality insect protein and is considered a sustainable alternative source for traditional animal food protein. However, the utilization of SPP is limited because of its low solubility and emulsifying ability. In the present study, the synergistic effect of hydration and pulsed ultrasound on the physicochemical properties of SPP and SPP-stabilized Pickering emulsions was evaluated.RESULTSPulsed ultrasound changed the particle size of SPP and its conformation. As the pulsed ultrasound increased from 0 s to 5 s, the alpha-helix and S-S contents of SPP decreased, whereas the beta-sheet and -SH contents increased, which in turn improved its solubility and amphiphilicity. As a result, the SPP treated by a combination of 12 h of hydration and 3 s of ultrasound exhibited a contact angle of 74.95 degrees, hydrophobicity of 904.83, EAI of 6.66 m2 g-1 and ESI of 190.69 min. Compared with the combination of 1 h of hydration and 5 s of ultrasound, the combination of 12 h of hydration and 3 s of ultrasound exerted more soluble and hydrophobic SPP, whereas the EAI and ESI of the samples were higher. Notably, the ultrasound-treated SPP can form a stable gel-like emulsion (oil fraction ranging from 70% to 80%).CONCLUSIONThe combination of hydration and ultrasound can effectively improve the physicochemical characteristics of SPP as well as its emulsion stability. Sufficient hydration is a cost-effective method for facilitating the modification of proteins by ultrasound treatment. (c) 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

以蚕蛹蛋白稳定的Pickering高内相乳液(high internal phase emulsions,HIPEs)为研究对象,评价其在体外胃肠道环境中的稳定特性及负载虾青素的能力,阐明其靶向肠道控释的机理.通过测定粒径分布、Zeta电位以及利用激光粒度分布仪、激光共聚焦扫描电子显微镜、反相高效液相色谱和电泳技术等分析蚕蛹蛋白颗粒及其所稳定的Pickering HIPEs在模拟胃肠道环境中的变化,以及乳液负载虾青素的能力和生物可给性.结果表明:蚕蛹蛋白颗粒可稳定油相体积分数为78％的Pickering HIPEs,其对虾青素的负载率约为88％;该乳液在胃环境中90 min内保持稳定,在肠环境中随消化时间延长逐渐失稳,显著提高了虾青素在肠道的生物可给性;界面蛋白组成表明分子质量为70kDa的蚕蛹蛋白是稳定乳液的主要蛋白,肠消化酶的水解作用是乳液在肠道失稳并释放虾青素的主要原因.本研究为蚕蛹蛋白颗粒稳定的Pickering HIPEs用于口服靶向肠道递送疏水性生物活性物质提供了理论基础,同时为虾青素在食品和保健品领域中的应用提供了新的可能.

High internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) stabilized by food grade particles have received much attention as deliver vehicles for bioactives in recent years. In this study, ultrasonic treatment was conducted to regulate the size of silkworm pupa protein (SPP) particles, fabricating oil-in-water (O/W) HIPPEs with intestinal releasability. Briefly, the pretreated SPP and SPP-stabilized HIPPEs were characterized, and the targeting release was investigated using in vitro gastrointestinal simulations and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results revealed ultrasonic treatment time was the key factor regulating emulsification performance and stability of HIPPEs. Optimized SPP particles were obtained based on their size and zeta potential of 152.67 nm and 26.77 mV, respectively. With ultrasonic treatment, the hydrophobic groups in the secondary structure of SPP were exposed, facilitating the formation of a stable oil-water interface for HIPPEs. Additionally, SPP-stabilized HIPPE showed high stable against the gastric digestion. The SPP with 70 kDa molecular weight, which was the major interfacial proteins of the HIPPE, can be hydrolyzed by intestinal digestive enzymes, enabling the intestine-targeted release of the emulsion. Overall, in the present study, a facile method was developed to stabilize HIPPEs using solo SPP with ultrasonic treatment to protect and deliver hydrophobic bioactive ingredients.