Encapsulation of chrysin and rutin using self-assembled nanoparticles of debranched quinoa, maize, and waxy maize starches.

Chrysin and rutin are natural polyphenols with multifaceted biological activities but their applications face challenges in bioavailability. Encapsulation using starch nanoparticles (SNPs) presents a promising approach to overcome the limitations. In this study, chrysin and rutin were encapsulated into self-assembled SNPs derived from quinoa (Q), maize (M), and waxy maize (WM) starches using enzyme-hydrolysis. Encapsulation efficiencies ranged from 74.3 % to 79.1 %, with QSNPs showing superior performance. Simulated in vitro digestion revealed sustained release and higher antioxidant activity in QSNPs compared to MSNPs and WMSNPs. Variations in encapsulation properties among SNPs from different sources were attributed to the differences in the structural properties of the starches. The encapsulated SNPs exhibited excellent stability, retaining over 90 % of chrysin and 85 % of rutin after 15 days of storage. These findings underscore the potential of SNP encapsulation to enhance the functionalities of chrysin and rutin, facilitating the development of fortified functional foods with enhanced bioavailability and health benefits.

Encapsulation of rutin using quinoa and maize starch nanoparticles.

Rutin is a polyphenol with excellent therapeutic potential and good safety profile, but the poor bioavailability restricts its application as a functional ingredient. However, this limitation may be mitigated by encapsulation. In this study, promising prospects of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) produced via ultra-sonication for rutin encapsulation was explored.The rutin encapsulated SNPs prepared from quinoa and maize starch (QR and MR) showed average particle sizes of 107 and 222 nm, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading efficiency (LE) values of 67.4 and 63.1%, 26.6 and 22.7%, zeta potential of - 18.0 and - 18.6 mv, respectively. Structural, physical and thermal properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Simulated in vitro digestion showed increased rutin bioavailability with significantly higher (p < 0.05) in vitro antioxidant activities in QR than MR. Overall, SNPs prepared using ultrasound have potential to encapsulate polyphenols for improved bioavailability.