Core-shell structured α-tocopherol acetate encapsulation using elephant apple mucilage-alginate matrix: In vitro digestion and thermal degradation kinetics

Redundant seed sap of Dillenia indica has been cited to possess pharmaceutical potential, but literature pertaining to its role as bioactive delivery system in food processing domain is very scanty. In this study, D. indica mucilage-based beads loaded with vitamin E analogous, α-tocopherol acetate were developed and analyzed. Scanning Electron Microscopic images confirmed the entrapment of drug within the mucilage-alginate carrier in a core-shell arrangement. To understand the impact of mucilage-ladened fabricated shell on the active payload from degradation and to draw a contrast in characterization, comparative evaluation of the highest drug loaded sample (S5 with loading efficiency (LE) of ∼63% and bearing equal concentration of mucilage-alginate = 1:1 w/w as wall material) against the least loaded one (S1 with LE of ∼24% and possessing the highest mucilage-alginate ratio of 5:1 w/w as encapsulant) was done. Composite formation among the functional groups of mucilage and alginate were noted in FTIR spectra. Hybrid mucilage-alginate matrix of S5 exhibited higher resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis, better stability of the loaded drug in gastro-intestinal phases and thermal treatments than S1. By the end of intestinal digestion, radical scavenging activity of the digesta from S5 was 36.33% higher than that of S1. After being exposed to pasteurization and sterilization, the individual quantity of α-tocopherol acetate retained by S5 were respectively 13.54% and 33.78% higher than those found in S1. Thermal degradation kinetics data corroborated these findings. Thus, facile synthesis of hybrid carrier system from D. indica mucilage can open up ample opportunities for this fruit waste.