Curcumin encapsulation through complex coacervation using carboxymethylated tara gum and lysozyme: Methodology, characterization, and incorporation in bread

Abstract

Abstract Curcumin obtained from Curcuma longa is a polyphenol that has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine for centuries. It was also incorporated into foods through encapsulation to include its health benefits in daily diet. The present study aimed to microencapsulate curcumin through complex coacervation using lysozyme (LSZ) and carboxymethylated tara gum (CMTG) and then incorporate it into bread. Curcumin encapsulation through complex coacervation was performed using different core/wall ratios and total biopolymer concentration. The complexes of LSZ and CMTG formed at pH 5.0 exhibited electrostatic attraction with high affinity and an excellent curcumin encapsulation efficiency of 74.86%. The microcapsules protected curcumin during the oral and gastric phases, with an average release of 77% to 94% in the intestinal phase. After gastrointestinal digestion, the bioaccessibility of the encapsulated curcumin was approximately 47%. The bread in which the curcumin was encapsulated exhibited antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH+), with 93.9% curcumin preservation after cooking and 31% bioaccessibility. Therefore, the microcapsules containing curcumin formed after the complex coacervation of lysozyme and carboxymethylated tara gum may be used for the enrichment of bakery products such as bread.

Keywords

• Antioxidant
• polyphenol
• galactomannans
• carboxymethylation.