**5. Application of Encapsulated Polyphenols in Food Products**

Due to the increasing awareness of consumers toward health and the consumption of food that promotes health, the enrichment of food products with encapsulated polyphenols and replacement of artificial food additives with natural ones is strongly supported [78]. Over the last few years, applying encapsulated polyphenols in food products has been on the rise. In reviewing scientific papers, those dealing with encapsulated polyphenols with polysaccharides were singled out.

Yogurt has high water content and a low pH value which makes it challenging to incorporate polyphenols with poor solubility. Encapsulated polyphenols into hydrophilic wall materials can overcome these shortcomings [78]. Robert et al. [37] encapsulated polyphenols from pomegranate with maltodextrin and soybean protein isolates and incorporated them in yogurt. Encapsulates with maltodextrin had the lower degradation rate during storage. Moreover, mushroom extract rich in polyphenols, encapsulated with maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid, was incorporated in yogurt [79]. In a study of El-Messery et al. [77], polyphenols extracted from apple peel were encapsulated with maltodextrin, whey protein and gum Arabic using spray-drying and freeze-drying. The obtained powders were used in supplementing yogurt. Results showed no significant influence of powders on the physiochemical and texture properties of samples. The authors suggested that those encapsulated polyphenols can be used as a functional food ingredient for yogurt. One interesting study dealt with encapsulation of eugenol-rich clove extract in maltodextrin and gum Arabic by spray-drying. These encapsulates were incorporated into soybean oil for increasing antioxidant activity. Potatoes fried in that oil had better sensorial properties than ones fried in oil with butylated hydroxytoluene (synthetic antioxidant) [80]. Encapsulated polyphenols can also be incorporated into bread. Ezhilarasi et al. [81] enriched bread with encapsulated *Garcinia* fruit polyphenols with maltodextrin and whey protein isolates. Furthermore, green tea polyphenols, encapsulated using β-cyclodextrin and maltodextrin by freeze-drying and spray-drying, were added to bread. Bread quality (volume and crumb firmness) didn't change compared to the control sample [82]. Furthermore, anthocyanins from red onion skins were encapsulated using gum Arabic, soy protein isolate and carboxymethyl cellulose as wall materials, and applying the gelation and freeze-drying techniques. The powder, which has the highest encapsulation efficiency, has been added to crackers and results showed improved antioxidant activity of these enriched crackers. The authors suggest the suitability of applying such additives in bakery products [83]. Table 4 presents some other studies that dealt with incorporating encapsulated polyphenols with polysaccharides using freeze-drying and spray-drying techniques into food products.

**Table 4.** Selected studies on the incorporation of encapsulated polyphenols into food products.

