Modification of functional quality of beer by using microencapsulated green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) and Ganoderma mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum L.) bioactive compounds

Increasing interest in production of frequently consumed functional food products has focused the present study on implementation of microencapsulated Ganoderma mushroom and green tea bioactive compounds in beer production. Electrostatic extrusion assisted microencapsulation of green tea and Ganoderma extracts enabled production of particles ranging from 490 to 1000 mu m in size, with up to 75% of entrapped total polyphenols. Dried, powdered extracts, as well as microparticles encapsulating Ganoderma and green tea extracts that exhibited the best morphological properties and retarded release of polyphenols (alginate and alginate-chitosan coated, as well as chitosan coated pectin microbeads) were implemented in beer production. The addition of Ganoderma microbeads to pilsner beer did not augment its polyphenolic concentration (TPC), as opposed to the addition of green tea encapsulating microbeads to radler, while adding dried Ganoderma and spray dried green tea extracts enabled to increase the TPC for up to 3-fold higher values. Ganoderma dried extract-enriched pilsner beer and spray dried green tea extract-enriched radler were preferred in terms of sensory properties, due to the lowest bitterness intensity and most pronounced herbal aroma of the added adjuncts. Refrigerated storage of Ganoderma hydrogel microbeads-enriched pilsner beer revealed fluctuations of TPC, while green tea hydrogel microbeads-enriched radler exhibited better stability. The established methodology provides a procedure suitable for microencapsulate-enrichment of drink and food products, thus setting a reliable basis for future functional food production by microencapsulate implementation strategies.