Sodium Alginate Microencapsulation of an Umami Peptide Fraction (F2) from Goose Bone Paste: Preparation and Reduced Apparent Gastric-Phase Release

Soy Protein-Oligosaccharide Maillard Reaction Products for Synbiotic Microencapsulation: A Strategy to Enhance the Antioxidant Functionality of Soybean Powder

Formulation and characterization of a corn starch-soy protein isolate coacervate for encapsulation of fennel essential oil and its application in the pre-velveting of chicken cubes.

Pre-velveting foods suffer from significant flavor loss and limited shelf life during storage, motivating a demand for multifunctional starch-based carriers. To address this, corn starch (CS)-soy protein isolate (SPI) coacervates with varying CS ratios were fabricated to encapsulate fennel essential oil (FEO), yielding a pre-velveting material with antimicrobial and flavor-enhancing properties. Results indicated that higher CS/SPI ratios (4,1 and 5,1) enhanced viscoelasticity and reduced particle size by forming a dense polysaccharide-protein network that inhibited FEO aggregation compared with the lower ratios. The resulting microcapsules (CSSP4 and CSSP5) similarly demonstrated improved DPPH radical scavenging capacity (59.49% and 56.15%, respectively) and enhanced thermal stability. SEM and XRD confirmed increased cross-linking of CS upon coacervation with SPI, which provided the basis for the improved encapsulation efficiency of FEO via the dense structure, while FTIR and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that this structure was primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between CS and SPI, and the starch-protein interface was visualized. Electronic nose combined with GC-MS analyses identified anethole as the primary flavor compound of FEO microcapsules and showed that the stable structure delayed its release, with CSSP4 exhibiting the slowest release due to its higher density. Furthermore, among all formulations, CSSP4 showed the lowest TBARS values and pH increase, as well as the most favorable volatile profile and improved textural properties in cooked chicken cubes. This study presents a novel starch-based carrier designed to improve flavor retention and extend the shelf life of pre-velveting foods.

Influence of Gum Arabic and Maltodextrin on the Performance of Biopolymer Microencapsulation for Tithonia diversifolia Extract: Efficiency and Release Kinetics

Sustainable biopolymer-based carriers are increasingly utilized to protect phytochemicals and control their release. This study compares gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) as wall materials for spray-dried microencapsulation of Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract. Optimal conditions differed for each polymer: GA microcapsules at 4% w/v (90 min stirring time at pH 5) with %EE 80.3% and MD microcapsules at 0.8% w/v (90 min stirring time at pH 5) with %EE 73.9%. This efficiency was mirrored in antioxidant retention, where GA microcapsules exhibited a lower DPPH IC50 value (117.4 µg/mL) compared to MD (138.1 µg/mL). In vitro release tests demonstrated distinct pH-responsive kinetics, GA showed higher cumulative release in both simulated gastric (43%) and intestinal (96%) compared to MD in simulated gastric (30%) and intestinal (80%). SEM analysis revealed oval, slightly corrugated GA microcapsules, whereas MD microcapsules displayed semi-spherical morphologies with surface fissures. FTIR spectra confirmed stronger matrix-core interactions in GA microcapsules than in MD. These findings demonstrate that biopolymer wall material selection critically influences encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant stability, and pH-responsive release behavior. GA microcapsules is identified as the more effective and pH-responsive matrix for developing functional food or phytopharmaceutical delivery systems.

Breadfruit Peel Derived Pectin as a Natural Polymer for Gastroretentive Floating Beads of Amoxicillin: Formulation and Characterization

Amoxicillin is widely used to treat gastric infections; however, conventional oral dosage forms often exhibit rapid gastric emptying and short gastric residence time, which may reduce therapeutic effectiveness. Gastroretentive floating drug delivery systems can prolong gastric retention and provide sustained drug release. This study aimed to develop gastroretentive floating beads of amoxicillin using pectin extracted from breadfruit peel (Artocarpus altilis) and compare their characteristics with those prepared using commercial pectin. Floating beads were prepared by ionotropic gelation using calcium chloride as a crosslinking agent and sodium bicarbonate as a gas-forming agent. The beads were characterized for morphology, floating behavior, entrapment efficiency, and drug release. All evaluations were performed in triplicate (n = 3). The prepared beads exhibited spherical morphology with diameters of 0.24–0.42 mm and weights of 9.26–11.38 mg. Floating lag time ranged from 10–22 seconds, and all formulations remained buoyant for up to 8 hours. Entrapment efficiency ranged from 31–47%, with formulations prepared using commercial pectin showing values of 34–47% and breadfruit peel-derived pectin showing values of 31–43%, with formulation F3 containing 3.5% commercial pectin showing the highest value. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated sustained release of amoxicillin for up to 8 hours, whereas conventional tablets released 64.77% of the drug within 2 hours. Drug release followed the Higuchi model (R² = 0.989–0.996), indicating diffusion-controlled release. These findings demonstrate that breadfruit peel-derived pectin is a promising natural polymer for gastroretentive floating bead formulations and exhibits performance comparable to commercial pectin.

Synergistic effects of microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate with melamine-formaldehyde resin/ethyl cellulose on flame retardancy and hydrophobicity of cellulosic paper.

In this study, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was sequentially microencapsulated with melamine-formaldehyde resin (MFR) and ethyl cellulose (EC). The results indicated that the pristine APP exhibited a smooth surface, and its water solubility and water contact angle (WCA) were 0.23 g/100 mL and 29.28°, respectively. After microencapsulation with MFR, the surface roughness of MFAPP slightly increased, while the solubility declined to 0.16 g/100 mL, and WCA rose to 83.46°. Upon further microencapsulation with EC, the EC@MFAPP surface became significantly rougher, with solubility dropping to 0.04 g/100 mL and WCA increasing to 135.89°. The char residue at 800 °C was improved from 25.27% for APP to 50.49% for EC@MFAPP. In addition, when the three APPs were incorporated separately into the pulp, the retention rate of MFAPP increased from 26.65% (APP) to 31.14%, while that of EC@MFAPP reached 74.97%. For paper containing MFAPP, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) rose from 28.70% to 29.60%, and the WCA increased from 98.08° to 103.14°. After double encapsulation, the WCA of EC@MFAPP/Pulp showed a further enhancement of 119.98° and an LOI of 34.70%, and a slight decrease in tensile index. Notably, the EC@MFAPP/Pulp exhibited self-extinguishment upon flame removal and formed a denser char layer. These char residues exhibited higher nitrogen and phosphorus content, along with a greater graphitization degree, which effectively hindered heat and gas transfer. Therefore, the EC@MFAPP significantly enhanced both the hydrophobicity and flame retardancy of cellulose paper.

Development of Eudragit L100/sodium alginate-carrageenan core/shell nanofiber patches for dermal delivery of omega-3 acid ethyl ester.

Oxidation-prone omega-3 acid ethyl esters offer biologically attractive lipid cues for skin repair and dermocosmetic applications; however, their topical translation is constrained by poor aqueous compatibility, chemical lability, and limited residence at the skin interface. Herein, a coaxially electrospun core-shell nanofiber patch was developed to compartmentalize docosahexaenoic/eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA/EPA)-containing omega-3 ethyl esters within an Eudragit L100 (EL100) core while presenting a sodium alginate-κ-carrageenan (SA-CRG) polysaccharide shell. Electrospinning parameters were systematically optimized by tuning the EL100 concentration, the ethanol/N,N-dimethylformamide ratio, and the core/shell flow rates, yielding smooth, bead-free fibers with a continuous core-shell architecture, as verified by SEM and TEM. Although Ca2⁺-mediated ionic crosslinking enhanced shell compactness and tensile integrity, FTIR/DSC and surface-wettability changes indicated DHA/EPA oxidation and lipid redistribution during aqueous post-treatment; therefore, the non-crosslinked 25EL100(5:5)-DHA + EPA/SA-CRG mats were selected for delivery and biological evaluation. The optimized fibers combined a hydrophilic skin-contacting surface with controlled swelling at pH 4.0 and sustained omega-3 release over 120 h, reaching cumulative DHA and EPA release of 88.5% and 72.9%, respectively. Release kinetics were best described by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R2 = 0.9912 for DHA; R2 = 0.9884 for EPA), with n values below 0.45, indicating predominantly diffusion-governed transport. The nanofibers were cytocompatible with human dermal fibroblasts, maintaining 91.81% viability for the DHA/EPA-loaded formulation versus 97.65% for the placebo, and promoted fibroblast wound-closure behavior in scratch assays. Complementary microplate-based turbidimetric assays further indicated that the antibacterial performance of the DHA/EPA-loaded mats was influenced by lipid oxidative status. Oxidized DHA/EPA-loaded mats exhibited concentration-dependent suppression of bacterial growth, with a stronger effect against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus than against the Gram-negative Escherichia coli, whereas non-oxidized mats showed weaker activity. Overall, EL100/SA-CRG core-shell nanofibers provide a dry, handleable, and biologically tolerated platform for sustained topical delivery of labile omega-3 ethyl esters, thereby supporting their further development as advanced dermal patches for skin repair and dermocosmetic applications.