Emerging encapsulation strategies for vitamin A fortification in food sector: an overview.

Micro- and nano-encapsulation techniques, such as microfluidization, spray drying, and centrifugal extrusion, have been widely utilized in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and agriculture, to improve the stability, shelf life, and bioavailability of active ingredients, such as vitamin A. Emulsion-based delivery platforms offer feasible and appropriate alternatives for safeguarding, encapsulating, and transporting bioactive compounds. Therefore, there is a need to enrich our basic diet to prevent vitamin A deficiency within a population. This review focused on addressing vitamin A shortages, encapsulation techniques for improving the delivery of vital vitamins A and their food applications. Additionally, more studies are required to guarantee the security of nano-delivery strategies, as they proliferate in the food and beverage sector.

Spray drying of a zinc complexing agent for inhalation therapy of pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis, a disabling lung disease, results from the fibrotic transformation of lung tissue. This fibrotic transformation leads to a deterioration of lung capacity, resulting in significant respiratory distress and a reduction in overall quality of life. Currently, the frontline treatment of pulmonary fibrosis remains limited, focusing primarily on symptom relief and slowing disease progression. Bacterial infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are contributing to a severe progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Phytic acid, a natural chelator of zinc, which is essential for the activation of metalloproteinase enzymes involved in pulmonary fibrosis, shows potential inhibition of LasB, a virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, and mammalian metalloproteases (MMPs). In addition, phytic acid has anti-inflammatory properties believed to result from its ability to capture free radicals, inhibit certain inflammatory enzymes and proteins, and reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines, key signaling molecules that promote inflammation. To achieve higher local concentrations in the deep lung, phytic acid was spray dried into an inhalable powder. Challenges due to its hygroscopic and low melting (25°C) nature were mitigated by converting it to sodium phytate to improve crystallinity and powder characteristics. The addition of leucine improved aerodynamic properties and reduced agglomeration, while mannitol served as a carrier. Size variation was achieved by modifying process parameters and evaluated by tools such as the Next Generation Impactor (NGI), light diffraction methods, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An inhibition assay for human MMP-1 (collagenase-1) and MMP-2 (gelatinase A) allowed estimation of the biological effect on tissue remodeling enzymes. The activity was also assessed with respect to inhibition of bacterial LasB. The formulated phytic acid demonstrated an IC50 of 109.7 µg/mL for LasB with viabilities > 80% up to 188 µg/mL. Therefore, inhalation therapy with phytic acid-based powder shows promise as a treatment for early-stage Pseudomonas-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Spray Drying of Bacterial Membrane Vesicles for Vaccine Delivery.

Extracellular vesicles are nanosized lipid-bilayered spheres secreted from every living cell and they serve physiological and pathophysiological functions. Bacterial membrane vesicles are shed from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and harbor many virulence factors, nuclear material, polysaccharides, proteins, and antigenic determinants, which are essential for immune recognition and evasion. Hence, bacterial membrane vesicles are very promising vaccine candidates. Spray drying is a well-established pharmaceutical technique to produce inhalable dry powders with enhanced stability for formulations of vaccines. In this chapter, we illustrate general guidelines for spray drying of bacterial extracellular vesicles to improve their stability without compromising their immunogenic protective effect. We discuss some of the most important experiments to characterize the generated spray-dried bacterial membrane vesicle powder vaccine.

Impact of Wall Material-to-Active Ratio in the Stability of Spray-Dried Ascorbic Acid Using Maltodextrin and Gum Arabic.

Encapsulation revolutionizes industries through enhanced stability, controlled release, and targeted performance of active ingredients. The novel aspect of this study explores the impact of the wall material-to-active (WM:A) ratio on the stability of ascorbic acid (AA) encapsulated in a maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA) blend (2:1 w/w). Microparticles were spray-dried and analyzed using SEM, TGA, DSC, thermal stability, and antioxidant activity assessments. Stability tests under different conditions revealed that a higher WM:A ratio (7:1) improved the active stability and antioxidant activity during storage, highlighting its importance in the encapsulation process. SEM analysis confirmed particles with no cracks, and the particles demonstrated excellent thermal stability up to 200 °C with minimal degradation. These findings underscore the critical role of the WM:A ratio in determining the stability of encapsulated AA within a carbohydrate matrix, offering valuable insights for advancing encapsulation technologies.

Formulation and investigation of differently charged ß-cyclodextrin-based meloxicam potassium containing nasal powders.

Nasal systemic drug delivery may provide an easy way to substitute parenteral or oral dosing, however, the excipients have an important role in nasal formulations to increase the permeability of the mucosa and prolong the residence time of the drug. In this work, we aimed to produce meloxicam potassium monohydrate (MXP) containing nasal powders by a nano spray drier with the use of a neutral, an anionic and a cationic ß-cyclodextrin as permeation enhancers, and (polyvinyl)alcohol (PVA) as a water soluble polymer. The following examinations were performed in order to study the effect of the applied excipients on the nasal applicability of the formulations: laser scattering, scanning electron microscope measurement, XRPD, DSC and FTIR measurements, adhesivity, in vitro drug release and permeability tests through an artificial membrane and RPMI 2650 cells. Based on our results, spherical particles were prepared with a size of 1.89-2.21 µm in which MXP was present in an amorphous state. Secondary interactions were formed between the excipients and the drug. The charged cyclodextrin-based formulations showed significantly higher adhesive force values regardless of the presence of PVA. The drug release was fast and complete. The passive diffusion of MXP was influenced not only by the charge of the cyclodextrin, but the presence of PVA, too. The permeation of the drug was enhanced in the presence of the anionic cyclodextrin testing it on RPMI 2650 cell model.

Characterizing and decoding the key odor compounds of Spirulina platensis at different processing stages by sensomics.

Processing is an indispensable technology in the preparation of Spirulina platensis (S. platensis). The key odorants in liquids, muds, and powders from S. platensis (NM and GZ) were characterized. A total of 90 odorants were identified and 41 odorants were sniffed with the flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 1 to 729. Among them, nonanal, decanal, d-limonene, ß-cyclocitral, and ß-ionone with FD factors ≥1 were detected in S. platensis during the whole processing stages. In addition, heptanal, (E, E)-2,4-nonadienal, trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, 1-hepten-3-one, isophorone, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, and α-ionone exhibited higher odor activity values in powders; ß-myrcene, methional, and S-methyl methanethiosulphonate were key odorants in muds; while trans-3-penten-2-ol was key odorant in liquids. Besides, the GZ-mud presented stronger earthy and fishy odor than NM-mud. S. platensis powders have the stronger grassy odor, roasted odor, and marine odor than S. platensis muds. Overall, drying process promotes the formation of aldehydes, heterocyclic compounds, and terpenoids.

Insights on tiger nut (Cyperus Esculentus L.) oil-loaded microcapsules: characterization and oxidation stability analysis.

In this paper, tiger nut oil-loaded microcapsules (TNOMs) were prepared by complexation soybean protein isolate (SPI) and maltodextrin (MD) as wall materials using the spray drying method with tiger nut oil (TNO) as the core material, and its physicochemical properties and stabilities were characterized and analyzed. Under the optimum conditions, the encapsulation efficiency (EE) of TNOMs could reach up to 91.23%. Of note, after 60 days of storage at 60 °C, the peroxide value (PV) of TNO was almost 21.8 times as much as that of TNO encapsulated. Furthermore, TNOMs had good thermal stability below 200 °C and are sufficient for the general food processing needs. By fitting Arrhenius oxidation kinetics model, it was predicted that the shelf life of the product stored at 25 °C was 352.48 d. Therefore, it is promised to be applied to the development of high oleic acid food in the future. This study offered a theoretical framework for utilization and broadening the range of applications of TNO in the food industry.

Utilization of Infrared Drying as Alternative to Spray- and Freeze-Drying for Low Energy Consumption in the Production of Powdered Gelatin.

This study evaluated possible utilization of infrared drying (ID) as an alternative to spray- (SD) and freeze-drying (FD) for fish skin-derived gelatins. Physical, functional, thermal, and spectroscopic analyses were conducted for characterization of the resulting gelatin powders. Energy consumption for the applied drying methods were 3.41, 8.46 and 25.33 kWh/kg for ID, SD and FD respectively, indicating that ID had the lowest energy consumption among the studied methods. Gel strength, on the other hand, was lower (398.4 g) in infrared-dried gelatin (ID-FG) compared to that (454.9 g) of freeze-dried gelatin (FD-FG) and that (472.7 g) of spray-dried gelatin (SD-FG). TGA curves indicated that ID-FG showed more resilience to thermal degradation. SDS-PAGE and UV-Vis spectra indicated that slight degradation was observed in the ß-configuration of ID-FG. ID-FG and SD-FG gelatins had the highest water holding capacity (WHC), protein solubility and transparency values compared to that of FD-FG. Morphological structures of the samples were quite different as shown by SEM visuals. Ultimately, the findings showed that infrared drying may be a promising alternative for gelatin processing, maintaining product quality and supporting sustainable practices in food and other industries.

Enhancement of oxidative stability of camelina oil via Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum/sodium alginate-based microcapsules loaded with Echinacea purpurea (L.) extract.

Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum (AHSG) and sodium alginate (SA) were utilized as wall materials for the microencapsulation of Echinacea purpurea extract via spray drying. Furthermore, effect of microcapsules on the oxidative stability of camelina oil was assessed over a 30-day storage period. The results showed that with an increase in AHSG concentration, the particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of emulsions decreased, while their viscosity, and stability increased. Microcapsules prepared with AHSG alone exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (90.70 %), loading efficiency (40.70 %), and water solubility (88.47 %), but the lowest moisture content (1.45 %), water activity (0.31), wettability (198 s), and hygroscopicity (13.50 g/100 g). Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a spherical and smooth surface for AHSG alone-based microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that certain chemical interactions occurred between the E. purpurea extract and wall materials. By incorporating AHSG/SA-based microcapsules containing E. purpurea extract into camelina oil, the peroxide value (increasing from 1.79 to 5.12 meq∙O2/kg) and anisidine value (increasing from 1.63 to 7.09) were maintained during the 30-day storage period. In conclusion, the microcapsules prepared with AHSG alone showed significant potential for encapsulating E. purpurea extract and subsequently enhancing oxidative stability of camelina oil, comparable to TBHQ.

Effect of processing and formulation factors on Catalase activity in tablets.

The manufacturing of tablets containing biologics exposes the biologics to thermal and shear stresses, which are likely to induce structural changes (e.g., aggregation and denaturation), leading to the loss of their activity. Saccharides often act as stabilizers of proteins in formulations, yet their stabilizing ability throughout solid oral dosage processing, such as tableting, has been barely studied. This work aimed to investigate the effects of formulation and process (tableting and spray-drying) variables on catalase tablets containing dextran, mannitol, and trehalose as potential stabilizers. Non-spray-dried and spray-dried formulations were prepared and tableted (100, 200, and 400 MPa). The enzymatic activity, number of aggregates, reflecting protein aggregation and structure modifications were studied. A principal component analysis was performed to reveal underlying correlations. It was found that tableting and spray-drying had a notable negative effect on the activity and number of aggregates formed in catalase formulations. Overall, dextran and mannitol failed to preserve the catalase activity in any unit operation studied. On the other hand, trehalose was found to preserve the activity during spray-drying but not necessarily during tableting. The study demonstrated that formulation and process variables must be considered and optimized together to preserve the characteristics of catalase throughout processing.

Pulmonary Inhalation of Biotherapeutics: A Systematic Approach to Understanding the Effects of Atomisation Gas Flow Rate on Particle Physiochemical Properties and Retained Bioactivity.

The identification of spray-drying processing parameters capable of producing particles suitable for pulmonary inhalation with retained bioactivity underpins the development of inhalable biotherapeutics. Effective delivery of biopharmaceuticals via pulmonary delivery routes such as dry powder inhalation (DPI) requires developing techniques that engineer particles to well-defined target profiles while simultaneously minimising protein denaturation. This study examines the simultaneous effects of atomisation gas flow rate on particle properties and retained bioactivity for the model biopharmaceutical lysozyme. The results show that optimising the interplay between atomisation gas flow rate and excipient concentration enables the production of free-flowing powder with retained bioactivity approaching 100%, moisture content below 4%, and D50 < 4 µm, at yields exceeding 50%. The developed methodologies inform the future design of protein-specific spray-drying parameters for inhalable biotherapeutics.

Amorphous Solid Dispersions: Implication of Method of Preparation and Physicochemical Properties of API and Excipients.

The present study investigated the effect of different polymers and manufacturing methods (hot melt extrusion, HME, and spray drying, SD) on the solid state, stability and pharmaceutical performance of amorphous solid dispersions. In the present manuscript, a combination of different binary amorphous solid dispersions containing 20% and 30% of drug loadings were prepared using SD and HME. The developed solid-state properties of the dispersions were evaluated using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC). The molecular interaction between the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and polymers were investigated via infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The in vitro release profile of the solid dispersions was also evaluated to compare the rate and extend of drug dissolution as a function of method of preparation. Thereafter, the effect of accelerated stability conditions on the physicochemical properties of the solid dispersions were also evaluated. The results demonstrated higher stability of Soluplus® (SOL) polymer-based solid dispersions as compared to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based solid dispersions. Moreover, the stability of the solid dispersions was found to be higher in the case of API having high glass transition temperature (Tg) and demonstrated higher interaction with the polymeric groups. Interestingly, the stability of the melt-extruded dispersions was found to be slightly higher as compared to the SD formulations. However, the down-processing of melt-extruded strands plays critical role in inducing the API crystal nuclei formation. In summary, the findings strongly indicate that the particulate properties significantly influence the performance of the product.

Process-Induced Molecular-Level Protein-Carbohydrate-Polyphenol Interactions in Milk-Tea Blends: A Review.

The rapid increase in the production of powdered milk-tea blends is driven by a growing awareness of the presence of highly nutritious bioactive compounds and consumer demand for convenient beverages. However, the lack of literature on the impact of heat-induced component interactions during processing hinders the production of high-quality milk-tea powders. The production process of milk-tea powder blends includes the key steps of pasteurization, evaporation, and spray drying. Controlling heat-induced interactions, such as protein-protein, protein-carbohydrate, protein-polyphenol, carbohydrate-polyphenol, and carbohydrate-polyphenol, during pasteurization, concentration, and evaporation is essential for producing a high-quality milk-tea powder with favorable physical, structural, rheological, sensory, and nutritional qualities. Adjusting production parameters, such as the type and the composition of ingredients, processing methods, and processing conditions, is a great way to modify these interactions between components in the formulation, and thereby, provide improved properties and storage stability for the final product. Therefore, this review comprehensively discusses how molecular-level interactions among proteins, carbohydrates, and polyphenols are affected by various unit operations during the production of milk-tea powders.

Formulation of three tailed bacteriophages by spray-drying and atomic layer deposition for thermal stability and controlled release.

Deep infection is the second most common complication of arthroplasty following loosening of the implant. Antibiotic-loaded bone cements (ALBCs) and high concentrations of systemic broad-spectrum antibiotics are commonly used to prevent infections following injury and surgery. However, clinical data fails to show that ALBCs are effective against deep infection, and negative side effects can result following prolonged administration of antibiotics. Additionally, the rise of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria provides an urgent need for alternatives to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Phage therapy, or the use of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) to target pathogenic bacteria, might offer a safe alternative to combat MDR bacteria. Application of phage therapy in the setting of deep infections requires formulation strategies that would stabilize bacteriophage against chemical and thermal stress during bone-cement polymerization, that maintain bacteriophage activity for weeks or months at physiological temperatures, and that allow for sustained release of phage to combat slow-growing, persistent bacteria. Here, we demonstrate the formulation of three phages that target diverse bacterial pathogens, which includes spray-drying of the particles for enhanced thermal stability at 37 °C and above. Additionally, we use atomic layer deposition (ALD) to coat spray-dried powders with alumina to allow for delayed release of phage from the dry formulations, and potentially protect phage against chemical damage during bone cement polymerization. Together, these findings present a strategy to formulate phages that possess thermal stability and sustained release properties for use in deep infections.

Effects of spray drying on the content of crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis and the protection by organic and inorganic auxiliaries.

Spray drying is an important industrial method for the preparation of B. thuringiensis powder from fermentation liquor. The effect of spray drying on the crystal proteins, however, has not been reported in the literature so far. The present study systematically investigated the effect of inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature, atomizing air pressure and additives (including organic and inorganic auxiliaries) on the thermal destruction of crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis. The results indicated that the content of crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis powder decreased with increased inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and atomising air pressure. The pseudo-z values for inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and atomizing air pressure were 826.4 â„ƒ, 204.0 â„ƒ and 4.74 MPa, respectively. Among them, the outlet air temperature was a major parameter influencing the thermal destruction of crystal proteins, therefore, the decrease of the outlet air temperature was beneficial to increase the protein content in powder. Although the spray drying had an adverse effect on crystal proteins, the crystal protein content in spray-dried powder approached that in freeze-dried powder when the inlet air temperature of 165 â„ƒ, outlet air temperature of 70 â„ƒ and atomizing air pressure of 0.15 MPa were employed. The addition of some organic and inorganic auxiliaries to fermentation liquor can protect the crystal proteins from heat damage.

Optimization of spray-drying process for the microencapsulation of L. Plantarum (MCC 2974) in ultrasound hydrated finger millet milk.

Spray drying process was optimized for the development of probiotic finger millet milk powder. The independent parameters considered were inlet air temperature, maltodextrin content, and feed rate depending upon the preliminary trials. The major dependent quality parameters considered in the current work were moisture content, water activity, powder yield, encapsulation efficiency, and viability reduction. The desirability function was considered as a basis for the optimization of spray drying process. At the optimum process conditions of 151.68 °C of inlet air temperature, 100 mL/h of feed rate, and 29.32% of maltodextrin content, probiotic finger millet milk powder with 43.81% of powder yield and 84.97% of higher encapsulation efficiency could be achieved. The SEM analysis of the spray-dried powder confirmed the proper encapsulation of viable cells in the powder matrix. XRD analysis showed the amorphous powder structure suitable for other food applications. The promising results could be further utilized to produce non-dairy probiotic finger millet milk powder.

Recent microencapsulation trends for enhancing the stability and functionality of anthocyanins: a review.

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are water-soluble pigments in various fruits and vegetables known for their high antioxidant activity. They are used as natural food colorants and preservatives and have several medicinal benefits. However, their application in functional foods and nutraceuticals is often compromised by their low stability to heat, oxygen, enzymes, light, pH changes, and solubility issues. Spray drying has emerged as an effective microencapsulation technique to enhance the shelf life, quality, and stability of ACNs. This manuscript reviews the latest scientific developments in spray drying microencapsulation of ACNs-rich fruit extracts. Process optimization and the stability and physicochemical properties of the spray-dried, microencapsulated ACNs-rich powders are discussed. This review also covers functional food and nutraceutical applications and introduces novel encapsulation methods, such as freeze-drying, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), coacervation, drum drying, and electrospraying, highlighting their potential in improving the utility of ACNs-rich fruit extracts.

A Novel Method for the Preparation of Casein-Fucoidan Composite Nanostructures.

The aim of the study was to develop casein-fucoidan composite nanostructures through the method of polyelectrolyte complexation and subsequent spray drying. To determine the optimal parameters for the preparation of the composite structures and to investigate the influence of the production and technological parameters on the main structural and morphological characteristics of the obtained structures, 3(k-p) fractional factorial design was applied. The independent variables (casein to fucoidan ratio, glutaraldehyde concentration, and spray intensity) were varied at three levels (low, medium, and high) and their effect on the yield, the average particle size, and the zeta potential were evaluated statistically. Based on the obtained results, models C1F1G1Sp.30, C1F1G2Sp.40, and C1F1G3Sp.50, which have an average particle size ranging from (0.265 ± 0.03) µm to (0.357 ± 0.02) µm, a production yield in the range (48.9 ± 2.9) % to (66.4 ± 2.2) %, and a zeta potential varying from (-20.12 ± 0.9) mV to (-25.71 ± 1.0) mV, were selected as optimal for further use as drug delivery systems.

Hard Gelatin Capsules with Alginate-Hypromellose Microparticles as a Multicompartment Drug Delivery System for Sustained Posaconazole Release.

Microparticles as a multicompartment drug delivery system are beneficial for poorly soluble drugs. Mucoadhesive polymers applied in microparticle technology prolong the contact of the drug with the mucosa surface enhancing drug bioavailability and extending drug activity. Sodium alginate (ALG) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (hypromellose, HPMC) are polymers of a natural or semi-synthetic origin, respectively. They are characterized by mucoadhesive properties and are applied in microparticle technology. Spray drying is a technology employed in microparticle preparation, consisting of the atomization of liquid in a stream of gas. In this study, the pharmaceutical properties of spray-dried ALG/HPMC microparticles with posaconazole were compared with the properties of physical mixtures of powders with equal qualitative and quantitative compositions. Posaconazole (POS) as a relatively novel antifungal was utilized as a model poorly water-soluble drug, and hard gelatin capsules were applied as a reservoir for designed formulations. A release study in 0.1 M HCl showed significantly prolonged POS release from microparticles compared to a mixture of powders. Such a relationship was not followed in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF). Microparticles were also characterized by stronger mucoadhesive properties, an increased swelling ratio, and prolonged residence time compared to physical mixtures of powders. The obtained results indicated that the pharmaceutical properties of hard gelatin capsules filled with microparticles were significantly different from hard gelatin capsules with mixtures of powders.

Nickel-ion substituted hydroxyapatite matrices for metal-affinity chromatographic purification of recombinant proteins.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a calcium phosphate ceramic, widely used as a matrix for protein chromatography. The crystal structure of HAp is amenable to a wide range of substitutions, thus allowing for the alteration of its properties. In this study, nickel-ion substituted HAp (NiSHAp) was synthesized using a wet-precipitation method, followed by spray drying. This resulted in the structural incorporation of nickel ions within well-defined microspheres, which were suitable for chromatographic applications. The chromatographic experiments were conducted with NiSHAp and compared with spray-dried hydroxyapatite (SHAp) matrices. Protein purification experiments were conducted using refolded recombinant L-asparaginase (L-Asp), which was produced as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. The results showed that NiSHAp effectively adsorbed L-Asp, which was selectively eluted using a phosphate buffer, surpassing the efficiency of imidazole-based elution. In contrast, SHAp showed weaker binding and lower selectivity. The significance of this study lies in developing a scalable NiSHAp matrix for protein purification, especially for large-scale applications. The NiSHAp matrix offers a cost-effective alternative to commercial immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) adsorbents, especially for purifying His-tagged proteins. This innovative approach exhibits the advantages of mixed-mode chromatography by combining the properties of hydroxyapatite and IMAC in a single matrix, with the potential of improved industrial-scale protein purification.