Electrospinning of Microstructures Incorporated with Vitamin B9 for Food Application: Characteristics and Bioactivities

Vitamin E Microencapsulation via Electrohydrodynamic Techniques for Potential Use in Skin Care and Dermatological Applications

Vitamin E is widely used in cosmetics and dermatological applications for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties, yet its industrial use is limited by poor stability and bioavailability. To address these challenges, this study developed zein-based microstructures encapsulating vitamin E using electrohydrodynamic (EHD) techniques and evaluated how zein concentration affects morphology and release behavior. The SEM analysis showed that biopolymer (zein) concentration significantly affects microstructure morphology. At low concentrations (1%, 5%, and 15% (w/v)), micro/nanoparticles are formed, and high concentrations (30% (w/v)) yielded only fibers. The average size of the structures produced with zein (1-15% w/v) ranged from 0.38 to 0.90 µm, as measured using the program ImageJ (v1.54d). Structures containing vitamin E were generally smaller than those without. For electrospun fibers made with 30% zein, diameters ranged from 0.49 to 0.74 µm, with vitamin E-containing fibers also being thinner. Conductivity also influenced morphology; higher conductivity developed fibers, while lower conductivity formed particles. The solution with 15% (w/v) zein + 1% (w/w) vitamin E showed a conductivity of 1276 μS, similar to the 15% zein solution (1280 μS), indicating that vitamin E addition had no significant effect on conductivity. Release assays revealed that structures produced with low zein concentrations led to immediate release, while structured made with higher concentrations, prolonged release. A preliminary cosmetic formulation test has been conducted. The vitamin E microstructures were successfully incorporated into aloe vera hydrogel and coconut oil to show their potential for cosmetic applications.

Folic acid in carboxymethylcellulose/polyethylene oxide electrospun nanofibers: preparation, release and stability

BACKGROUND

Folic acid (FA), a synthetically produced compound analogous to vitamin B9, also referred to as vitamin folate, is an essential compound in human health and faces challenges in stability during food processing. This study explores the incorporation of FA into carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) nanofibers using electrospinning to enhance its stability.

RESULTS

In this study, optimization of both electrospinning and solution parameters facilitated the fabrication of nanofibers. Furthermore, incorporating FA into CMC/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibers resulted in thinner fibers, with an average diameter of 88 nm, characterized by a flat shape and smooth surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis demonstrated substantial hydrogen bonding interactions between FA and the polar groups present in CMC. This interaction contributed to an encapsulation efficiency of 94.5%, with a yield exceeding 87%. Thermal analysis highlighted mutual interference between CMC and PEO, with FA enhancing the thermal stability and reducing the melting temperatures and enthalpies of PEO, while also increasing the reaction heats of CMC. The encapsulated FA remained stable in acidic conditions, with only 6% degradation over 30 days, demonstrating the efficacy of CMC/PEO nanofibers in safeguarding FA against acidic environments. Moreover, the nanofibers provided a protective barrier against UV radiation, thereby preserving the stability of FA.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes the efficacy of CMC/PEO nanofibers as a protective matrix against FA degradation. The findings indicate that this innovative approach could significantly diversify the applications of FA in food fortification, addressing concerns regarding its vulnerability to temperature and hydrolysis reactions during food processing. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Microencapsulation of vitamins: A review and meta-analysis of coating materials, release and food fortification

Vitamins are responsible for providing biological properties to the human body; however, their instability under certain environmental conditions limits their utilization in the food industry. The objective was to conduct a systematic review on the use of biopolymers and lipid bases in microencapsulation processes, assessing their impact on the stability, controlled release, and viability of fortified foods with microencapsulated vitamins. The literature search was conducted between the years 2013-2023, gathering information from databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and publishers including Taylor & Francis, Elsevier, Springer and MDPI; a total of 49 articles were compiled The results were classified according to the microencapsulation method, considering the following information: core, coating material, solvent, formulation, process conditions, particle size, efficiency, yield, bioavailability, bioaccessibility, in vitro release, correlation coefficient and references. It has been evidenced that gums are the most frequently employed coatings in the protection of vitamins (14.04%), followed by alginate (10.53%), modified chitosan (9.65%), whey protein (8.77%), lipid bases (8.77%), chitosan (7.89%), modified starch (7.89%), starch (7.02%), gelatin (6.14%), maltodextrin (5.26%), zein (3.51%), pectin (2.63%) and other materials (7.89%). The factors influencing the release of vitamins include pH, modification of the coating material and crosslinking agents; additionally, it was determined that the most fitting mathematical model for release values is Weibull, followed by Zero Order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas; finally, foods commonly fortified with microencapsulated vitamins were described, with yogurt, bakery products and gummy candies being notable examples.

Valorization of Agricultural By-Products (Fragaria vesca) through the Production of Value-Added Micro/Nanostructures Using Electrohydrodynamic Techniques

An innovative approach for the production of bio-micro/nanostructures with high-value compounds from agricultural by-products was studied. This research aimed to valorize bioactive compounds existing in the by-products of the plants of Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry). The particle characteristics, morphology, size, release properties, and antioxidant activity of micro/nanostructures containing the extract of by-products of the plants of Fragaria vesca or quercetin (one of the main polyphenols in the plant) were analyzed. The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) technique was utilized for encapsulation. The results showed that the morphology and size of the structures were influenced by the concentration of zein, with 10% w/v zein concentration leading to irregular and non-uniform nanostructures, while 20% w/v zein concentration resulted in a mixture of microparticles and thin fibers with an irregular surface. The type and concentration of the core material did not significantly affect the morphology of the micro/nanostructures. In vitro release studies demonstrated the controlled release of the core materials from the zein micro/nanostructures. The release profiles were analyzed using the Korsmeyer-Peppas and Weibull models, which provided insights into the release mechanisms and kinetics. The most relevant release mechanism is associated with "Fickian Diffusion". The antioxidant activity of the structures was evaluated using an ABTS radical-scavenging assay, indicating their potential as antioxidants. In conclusion, the EHD technique enabled the successful encapsulation of Fragaria vesca by-product extract and quercetin with zein, resulting in micro/nanostructures with different morphologies.

Co-Encapsulation of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Vitamin B12 in Zein Microstructures by Electrospinning/Electrospraying Technique

EGCG is a catechin known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin found in animal-derived products, and its deficiency may cause serious health problems such as anemia. The effectiveness of both catechin and vitamin B12 depends on their stability and bioavailability, which can be lost during industrial processes due to degradation when exposed to external factors. A potential solution to this issue is the microencapsulation, which protects the compounds from external agents. The current study aims to microencapsulate EGCG and vitamin B12 in a polymer matrix of biological origin, zein. Microencapsulation was performed using an electrospinning technique, and different concentrations of zein (1–30% w/v) and active compound (0.5–5% w/w) were tested, resulting in the production of micro/nanoparticles, fibers, or the mixture of both. The microstructures were analyzed and characterized in terms of morphology, release profile and kinetics, and encapsulation efficiency. High encapsulation efficiencies were obtained, and the highest were found in the samples with 1% w/w of active substance and 30% w/v of zein. Controlled release studies were conducted in deionized water and in an ethanolic solution, and five kinetic models were applied to the release profiles. The results indicated that the Weibull model was the best fit for the majority of results.