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Electromillifluidic is introduced as a novel encapsulation technique to fabricate small core-shell millicapsules filled with cinnamon oil with high productivity. The effect of the flow rate ratios of dispersed and continuous phases and applied voltage on encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, size, and sphericity of millicapsules were analyzed. Reynolds number confirmed a Laminar flow in the glass tube (0.028). The small Capillary value (0.095), electric Capillary numbers (0.024–0.054) of the continuous phase, and also Weber number of the dispersed phase (4.7 × 10−4–15.3 × 10−4) showed a dripping flow regime. Enhancing the voltage reduced the size and sphericity; however, the Young Modulus was improved. The maximum release of oil (97.19%) from chitosan-coated millicapsules in the gastrointestinal tract and its lowest leakage (73.43%) were observed at 18 and 0 kV, respectively. The results confirm the potential of this technique for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industry. • Electromillifluidic (EMFE) was assembled to trap cinnamon essential oil. • Capillary numbers and Weber number confirmed the dripping flow regime in EMFE. • Applying high voltage produced small millicapsules with low sphericity. • There was a direct relation between Young modulus and applied voltage of EMFE. • The highest leakage of CEO into simulated GI tract was observed at 18 kV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to utilise and optimise the millifluidic and dripping encapsulation technique to develop and characterise the oil-core capsules. Sodium alginate with Tween-20 (continuous phase) and sunflower oil (dispersed phase) were used in millifluidic system. After determining the surface and interfacial tensions and flow behaviour parameters, flow rates of phases and concentrations of alginate and Tween were optimised by the Taguchi method. The flow regime of droplets was also evaluated. Optimised millicapsules were characterised concerning morphology, dimension, encapsulation efficiency, SEM, FTIR and, DSC results. Dripping flow regime during droplet formation was observed. Reducing the interfacial tension between the continuous and dispersed phases resulted in about a 10.18% reduction in diameter. Optimised millicapsules depicted spherical shape (0.03 ± 0.01) with 3.95 ± 0.05 mm size and 97.5 ± 0.2% encapsulation efficiency. The FTIR and DSC results confirmed the entrapment of oil. Millifluidic and dripping method effectively encapsulated sunflower oil in core-shell capsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are difficulties with some traditional technologies for biopolymer coating of bioactive-loaded vesicular systems such as spray-drying and freeze-drying; high temperatures during spray drying can damage the loaded sensitive bioactives and freeze-drying is expensive. This is the driver for the adoption of emerging new technologies including electrohydrodynamic processing. In this review, the principles of electrospinning (ES) are briefly summarized and the characteristics of some important plant proteins used as electrospun fibers (EFs) are described with applications as meat analogues. Next, methods for encapsulation of different bioactives through ES techniques via meat analogue proteins are discussed: this is focused on the strength of encapsulation through vesicular systems. Finally, we examine how vesicular embedded EFs can be applied in different fields of antioxidant and antimicrobial food packaging as well as the enhancement of bioaccessibility and protection of loaded bioactives. Embedding liposomes into nanofibers causes better antioxidant and sensory properties as well as substantial reduction of bacterial load when applied as packaging layers; this technology also significantly enhances the photo-stability of bioactives. In addition, double encapsulation improves the long-term release of bioactives and can address the problem of burst release. Niosome-embedded EFs aid the sustained release of herbal bioactives and enhance their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive/negative bacteria. The niosomes are distributed throughout the nanofibers evenly and are kept intact during ES process. [Display omitted] • Electro-encapsulation of fatty acids reduces their degradation rate. • Encapsulation of antioxidants via electrospinning preserves their antioxidant activity. • Embedding food-liposomes in electrospun fibers causes better sensory properties. • Niosomes immobilized in nanofibers aid the sustained release of herbal bioactives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "millifluidic" technique could be considered as a novel approach for encapsulation of bioactive compounds and has a promising perspective in the field of food engineering or pharmaceutical science. In this study, we aim to optimize the encapsulation of cinnamon essential oil (CEO) by droplet-based millifluidic technique with four responses: encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC), sphericity factor (SF) and size of calcium-alginate millicapsules. The effects of alginate concentration (20–30 g/L), flow rate of alginate (1–1.6 mL/min), and flow rate of CEO (0.6–0.8 mL/min) were considered by a Box-Behnken design. The best concentration of chitosan as a coating layer on the optimized samples was selected based on the Young modulus of millicapsules. The regression models showed the significant effect (p < 0.05) of the three variables on the characteristics of millicapsules. The optimal millicapsules with 3.58 ± 0.23 mm diameter and 0.96 ± 0.01 S F showed 98.96 ± 1.2% and 70.14 ± 1.8% EE and LC, respectively. SEM images exhibited a rough external surface which changed to a rigid and smooth surface through the chitosan coating. The results of DSC and FTIR tests demonstrated the CEO entrapment in the millicapsules without any chemical interaction with the encapsulant materials. The disarray of crystallinity structure in XRD patterns revealed the successful encapsulation of CEO in the millicapsules. The non-Fickian case II in the mouth and small intestine and anomalous transport in the stomach were the main release mechanisms in the coated millicapsules. The release profile of CEO also fitted well with Ritger-Peppas model. [Display omitted] • Cinnamon essential oil was encapsulated by millifluidic method. • The Response surface methodology was used for the optimization of the process. • The produced millicapsules showed 98.96% EE and 3.58 mm diameter. • Chitosan-coated capsules protected the essential oil in the simulated GI tract. • The kinetic release of the coated millicapsules was comprehensively studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health-promoting characteristics of garlic essential oil have been studied for many years. However, the intensive odor has restricted its consumption. The capability of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) incorporation with sugar beet pectin was evaluated in the garlic oil encapsulation process. The highest encapsulation and production efficiencies were obtained for the samples with 3:6–1:2 and 1:6–1:2 of core:wall material and sugar beet pectin:β-CD ratios, respectively. The scanning electron microscopic images revealed some jags, and especially surface wrinkles on the surface of the samples. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the encapsulation process improved the thermal stability of garlic oil. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum showed that the garlic oil was physically entrapped in the β-CD cavity. Applying the sample with the highest level of sulfur content to a gastrointestinal tract model system and an acidic food environment and also studying the physicochemical and release behavior showed the potential of sugar beet pectin as a wall material for garlic essential oil in acidic systems. [Display omitted] • β-cyclodextrin-assisted encapsulation of garlic oil in sugar beet pectin was achieved. • Physical entrapment of garlic oil in the microcapsules was observed. • The properties of the capsules were studied in an acidic beverage model system. • Microcapsules had an appropriate release behavior in the simulated GI tract. • SBP shows promising features for nutraceutical encapsulation in acidic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]