Novel Micro/Nano-Carrier Technologies for Encapsulating Active Substances in Food

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 813

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: food microstructure design; food delivery system; probiotics; active substances

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Micro and nano-carrier technologies for encapsulating active substances in food represent a rapidly evolving field within food science, focusing on improving the delivery, stability, protection, and controlled release of bioactive compounds. These technologies are crucial for enhancing the nutritional value, shelf life, and overall quality of food products, as well as for the development of functional foods that can deliver health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

We are seeking innovative research papers for an upcoming Special Issue focused on the cutting-edge developments in micro- and nano-carrier technologies for encapsulating active substances in food. This Special Issue aims to highlight novel strategies and advancements in carrier systems that improve the delivery, stability, and efficacy of bioactive compounds in food applications.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The design and synthesis of new micro- and nano-carriers for food bioactives;
  • The characterization and evaluation of carrier systems for the enhanced bioavailability and stability of encapsulated substances;
  • The innovative applications of micro/nano-encapsulation technologies in food preservation, fortification, and functional food development;
  • Studies on the interaction between carrier materials and active substances, including release mechanisms under various conditions;
  • Safety, regulatory aspects, and consumer acceptance of foods containing encapsulated active substances.

Dr. Jinfang Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • micro and nano-carrier technologies
  • encapsulation
  • bioactive compounds
  • nutritional value enhancement
  • shelf-life improvement
  • functional foods
  • carrier system design and synthesis
  • bioavailability and stability
  • food preservation and fortification

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 3717 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of a Hypoglycemic Complex of Gallic Acid–Antarctic Krill Polypeptide Based on Polylactic Acid–Hydroxyacetic Acid (PLGA) and High-Pressure Microjet Microencapsulation
by Mengjie Li, Puyu Chen, Yichen Lin, Song Miao and Hairong Bao
Foods 2024, 13(8), 1177; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081177 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 639
Abstract
Gallic acid–Antarctic krill peptides (GA-AKP) nanocapsules (GA-AKP-Ns) were prepared using a dual delivery system with complex emulsion as the technical method, a high-pressure microjet as the technical means, polylactic acid–hydroxyacetic acid (PLGA) as the drug delivery vehicle, and GA-AKP as the raw material [...] Read more.
Gallic acid–Antarctic krill peptides (GA-AKP) nanocapsules (GA-AKP-Ns) were prepared using a dual delivery system with complex emulsion as the technical method, a high-pressure microjet as the technical means, polylactic acid–hydroxyacetic acid (PLGA) as the drug delivery vehicle, and GA-AKP as the raw material for delivery. This study aimed to investigate the effects of microjet treatment and the concentration of PLGA on the physicochemical properties and stability of the emulsion. Under optimal conditions, the physicochemical properties and hypoglycemic function of nano-microcapsules prepared after lyophilization by the solvent evaporation method were analyzed. Through the microjet treatment, the particle size of the emulsion was reduced, the stability of the emulsion was improved, and the encapsulation rate of GA-AKP was increased. The PLGA at low concentrations decreased the particle size of the emulsion, while PLGA at high concentrations enhanced the encapsulation efficiency of the emulsion. Additionally, favorable results were obtained for emulsion preparation through high-pressure microjet treatment. After three treatment cycles with a PLGA concentration of 20 mg/mL and a microjet pressure of 150 MPa (manometric pressure), the emulsion displayed the smallest particle size (285.1 ± 3.0 nm), the highest encapsulation rates of GA (71.5%) and AKP (85.2%), and optimal physical stability. GA-AKP was uniformly embedded in capsules, which can be slowly released in in vitro environments, and effectively inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and DPP-IV at different storage temperatures. This study demonstrated that PLGA as a carrier combined with microjet technology can produce excellent microcapsules, especially nano-microcapsules, and these microcapsules effectively improve the bioavailability and effectiveness of bioactive ingredients. Full article
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