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Multivitamin-loaded and surface-modified liposomes tailored for simultaneous intestinal delivery of both lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactives were synthesized from sunflower phosphatidylcholine (SFPC). Liposomes (SL) were generated with the aid of a novel, organic solvent free, and environmentally benign process which utilizes venturi-based rapid expansion of supercritical solution (Vent-RESS). Vitamins E and C were used as model lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactives and demonstrated an average encapsulation efficiency of 92 and 70 %, respectively. Synthesized liposomes were coated with a pH-responsive double-wall of chitosan and β-lactoglobulin (βlg-Cs-SL) to develop a biocompatible vehicle for pH-triggered delivery of bioactive cargo(s). To compare the efficacy of this newly developed dual-coating, SL was also coated with a commercially available pH responsive polymer, Eudragit(®) S100 (Eu-SL). No organic solvent was used during the surface coating of SLs with these two different types of enteric coatings. The performance of these two coatings was studied by conducting morphological characterization through diameter and ζ-potential measurements along with confocal laser scanning and freeze-fracture cryogenic scanning electron microscopies. The stability of coated and uncoated SFPC liposomes was determined in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. For βlg-Cs-SL and Eu-SL, after 2 h of incubation in simulated gastric condition, less than 5 % of the encapsulated vitamins C and E were released, whereas for SL, 41 and 28 % of vitamins C and E were released within 2 h of incubation period. In simulated intestinal fluid, coated liposomes released most of their remaining payload when incubated for 4 h. The newly developed dual coating was found to be as effective as its commercially available counterpart, Eudragit(®) S100 coating; nevertheless, the biocompatible, non-toxic, and non-synthetic nature of this coating makes it an attractive alternative. Modeling the release kinetics of vitamins from coated liposome showed that the release of payload from surface coated liposomes proceeded through a multistep structural disintegration involving both Fickian and non-Fickian types of diffusion. The ability of these surface-coated liposomes to maintain structural integrity under the gastric condition followed by site-specific, pH-triggered release of encapsulated cargo in the intestine will make them highly suitable for oral administration of bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical and food applications.

Mango puree was produced out of Banaganappalli mango variety, a local species of mango grown in India. This puree was blended with starch, glycerol along with gelatin and defatted soy protein for casting the composite edible films. Utilization of excess mango available in high season, defatted soy protein from the waste of soy industry could help to reduce waste and additionally commercial grade starch, glycerol and gelatin was used to produce a value added product. Mango puree in 100 ml aqueous solution. Optical, mechanical, barrier, water resistance, thermal and morphology properties of all mango puree edible films were investigated. The composite yellowish films exhibited tensile strength, elongation at break, water vapour permeability, water solubility, melting temperature, crystallinity and were in the range of 4.26 Mpa to 5.89 MPa, 18.08% to 25.09%, 5.69 g.mm.kPa-1h-1m-2 to 8.56 g.mm.kPa-1h-1m-2, 35.30% to 51.57%, 154.35oC to 175.69 oC, 21.98% to 25.22% respectively. With these properties along with lower moisture content made the films useful for wide range of food packaging applications such as edible films having mango flavor.

The effect of pressure on diffusivity in binary or multicomponent systems such as gas−liquid or gas−solid systems has rarely been reported. The diffusivity of carbon dioxide in extruded gelatinized starch has been measured in this study at pressures of up to 117 bar (1700 psi). Such data are fundamentally not only useful in the understanding of the supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2)/starch systems but also can be useful for the design and control of processes utilizing carbon dioxide injection or mixing in starch-based matrices. The methodology developed here was an improvement over a previously reported technique, enabling high-pressure data to be obtained. The diffusivity of carbon dioxide in the melt was found to be a strong function of pressure but not of moisture content in the range of 34.5−39% (w/w) studied. This diffusivity value decreased from 7.5 × 10-10 to 0.9 × 10-10 m2/s as pressure was increased from atmospheric to 115 bar. The low-pressure diffusivity value was only an order of magnitude...