Enhanced Bioaccessibility of Microencapsulated Puerarin Delivered by Pickering Emulsions Stabilized with OSA-Modified Hydrolyzed Pueraria montana Starch: In Vitro Release, Storage Stability, and Physicochemical Properties

Zafarullah Muhammad; Rabia Ramzan; Ruifen Zhang; Dong Zhao; Nazia Khalid; Mei Deng; Lihong Dong; Mahwash Aziz; Rizwana Batool; Mingwei Zhang

doi:10.3390/foods11223591

Enhanced Bioaccessibility of Microencapsulated Puerarin Delivered by Pickering Emulsions Stabilized with OSA-Modified Hydrolyzed Pueraria montana Starch: In Vitro Release, Storage Stability, and Physicochemical Properties

Foods. 2022 Nov 11;11(22):3591. doi: 10.3390/foods11223591.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou 510610, China.
² Department of Food Science and Technology, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
³ College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.

Abstract

Puerarin is a bioactive flavonoid isolated from Kudzu roots that possesses numerous health benefits. However, its poor bioavailability and existing complex delivery systems with safety issues are challenging tasks for its incorporation into functional foods. Preparing modified-starch-stabilized Pickering emulsions containing microencapsulated puerarin with improved bioaccessibility was the key objective of the present research work. Acid-hydrolyzed high-amylose Pueraria montana starch (PMS) was modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) and evaluated as an emulsifier to prepare emulsions. The FTIR, SEM, and XRD results showed that PMS was successfully modified. Furthermore, the emulsification index (EI), mean droplet size, and ζ-potential values showed that modified starch with a higher degree of substitution (DS) enhanced the storage stability of emulsions. Similarly, the retention degree and encapsulation efficiency results of puerarin proved the assumption after storage of 16 d. The Pickering emulsions also helped in the controlled release of microencapsulated puerarin in vitro. The study outcomes proved that Pickering emulsions stabilized with OSA-modified PMS have promising applicability in functional foods as efficient food-grade delivery systems, enhancing oral supplementation and accessibility of puerarin.

Keywords: OSA modification; Pickering emulsions; Pueraria montana starch; in vitro release; microencapsulation; puerarin.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Guangdong province (2019B020213002), Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences Foundation of the Dean Project (BZ202003), the Guangdong special support program (2019BT02N112), and the special fund for scientific innovation strategy-construction of high-level Academy of Agriculture Science (R2020PY-JG011, 202108TD).