Optimization Model of Starch Nanoparticles Production Loaded with Phenolic Compounds from Green Propolis Extract

Phenolic compounds from propolis have promising food and pharmaceutical applications because of their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The current research aimed to optimize the production of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) loaded with phenolic compounds (P) from propolis extract. Thus, starch nanoparticles were prepared with (P-SNPs) and without phenolic compounds (SNPs) using the anti-solvent precipitation method. The effect of cassava starch percentage (CS), anti-solvent/solvent ratio (AS/W), mixing rate (MR), and the time of anti-solvent addition on the average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and adsorption efficiency (AE) of phenolic compounds of SNPs was investigated and optimized using of experimental designs. It was observed that the SNPs presented a minimum average size of 260 nm and a PDI of 0.903. On the other hand, the P-SNPs showed minimum average sizes of 145.3 nm (predicted 138.6) and PDI of 0.195 (predicted 0.186), where MR and the percentage of CS significantly impacted the optimization. After optimizing the average particle size and PDI, the AE in P-SNPs was assessed using a central composite face-centered (CCF) experimental design with CS, AS/W, and MR as factors. CS had a negative impact on AE, whereas AS/W and MR did not significantly affect it. Optimal conditions resulted in 50.5