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Cellulose nanofibers are often available in aqueous suspensions (~90% water), and water removal becomes necessary to transportation, practical application, and characterization by specific instruments such as x-ray diffractometer or FTIR spectrometers. Since the water remotion interferes in some properties of nanocellulosic materials, the description of the applied technique is essential to the appropriate comparison and discussion of the published results. Aiming this issue at the present work, distinguished drying procedures were applied at eight different nanofibrils slurries. The products from the procedures were evaluated in terms of crystallinity degree, surface chemistry and morphology. The films or nanocellulosic paper obtained by casting were the result of a complex entangling of cellulose nanofibrils, and it resulted in a material with two specific properties: it could not be resuspended in water and had significantly lower crystallinity indexes (18.7–30.3%) in comparison to the powders obtained by atomization (26.6–43.3%) or the flakes by sublimation (29.5–45.2%). Even with the possibility of a resuspension, the thin and flow format of spray-dried powder lost its nanoscale after drying. The images obtained by scanning electron microscopy evidence the aggregation formed during the water removal. The results of the infrared diffractograms suggest that the drying procedure only affected the nanocellulose characteristics at the physical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reports the production of an innovative functional orange powder supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics, by implementing new ecofriendly and sustainable technologies, such as spray drying. The survival of Lactobacillus casei shirota, Lactobacillus casei immunitas and Lactobacillus acidophilus johnsonii, during spray drying in orange juice was proven and the stability of the powder obtained at room temperature and at 4 °C was investigated. Furthermore, the study highlighted the possibility to enhance the pectin obtained from the food agroindustry as a carrier for the spray-drying process. Combining maltodextrins and pectins at a 10:1 weight ratio. The study showed the efficiency of the maltodextrin/pectin mixture as carriers for the spray-drying process and the viability of the tested microorganisms during both the storage at room temperature and at 4 °C, showing that the latter represents the best storing condition for a longer viability of the microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fortification helps to maintain, improve or correct nutrients requirements. The current paper explored the possibility of using the spray-drying method to produce microparticles with vitamin content suitable for incorporation in fortified food products. Vitamin B2 and vitamin B3 were microencapsulated with six different biopolymers (chitosan, modified chitosan, gum arabic, maltodextrin, sodium alginate and pectin), aiming with this research to highlight the similarities and differences. For these two categories of microparticles product yield, encapsulation efficiency, size and external morphology were determined. Afterward, in vitro release studies were performed under two different in vitro simulated conditions to evaluate: the time required for the vitamin to be released, the best kinetic models (Zero order, Higuchi, Korsmeyer–Peppas and Weibull) to describe the experimental release profiles and the main release mechanisms involved. Stability of the microparticles over 4 months of storage was also evaluated. The overall results lead to a successful microencapsulation process as for both vitamins the encapsulation efficiency reached values higher than 99% and the product yield ranged from 45% to 55% in the case of vitamin B2 and to 58% for vitamin B3. Through SEM characterization microparticles with regular or irregular spherical shape and with the smooth or rough surface were distinguished. The mean size of the microparticles loaded with vitamin B2 ranged in the interval 0.10 − 0.16 µm and the ones with vitamin B3 between 0.11 and 0.84 µm, considering a number distribution. With faster (minutes) or slower (hours) release, both types of microparticles showed a very good fitting especially to Weibull kinetic model and proved good stability over time since a vitamin loss lower than 10% was registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wine antioxidants are linked to cardiovascular disease prevention, thus are highly valued by the healthy food market. The dehydration process removes alcohol and water from wine and allows it to extend its shelf life, while encapsulation can help preserve physical-chemical and antioxidant properties. Moreover, information on the effect of wine drying and encapsulation on non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds is limited in the literature. Methods: Listan Prieto and Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) wines were dehydrated and converted into powder by freezing and spray drying. Powdered wines were subjected to water activity, pH, soluble solids, color, and phenolic compounds analysis. Results: Freeze-drying process produced powdered wines with higher pH than the spray-drying process. Powdered wines made by these processes presented similar water activity and soluble solids. Powdered wines did not show statistical differences in trans-resveratrol, hydrocinnamic acids, phloretin, kaempferol, and quercetin content according to their dehydration process. In addition, powdered wines significantly concentrated hydrocinnamic acid and quercetin when compared to non-dealcoholized and dealcoholized wine samples. Conclusions: The results suggest that the dehydration process does not negatively modify the characteristics of the wine, and it retains a significant concentration of phenolic compounds. Therefore, powdered wines have an interesting potential to be used as a natural source of antioxidants for food supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba seeds (G. seeds) contain numerous bioactive components, which have been consumed worldwide. This work aimed to prepare a solid beverage from fermented G. seeds by spray-drying. The processing conditions were further optimized as inlet air temperature 150 °C, hot-air flow 40 L/h and feed speed 16 mL/min. Under this condition, the yield of the solid beverage was 77.10% ± 1.37%. The results of nutrient contents showed that solid beverage in the spray-drying group was rich in nutrients, for its total flavonoids content was 0.76 ± 0.03 mg/g and the content of quercetin was 0.35 ± 0.02 mg/g. Moreover, the content of 4'-O-methylpyridoxin, one of the main allergens in G. seeds, was 18.25 mg/g, which is lower than that of freeze-drying. The solubility, hygroscopicity and oil hold ability have been improved after spray-drying, compared with the freeze-drying group. The scavenging ability of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH⋅) free radicals was 9.28 ± 0.53 mg TE/g. Finally, the solid beverage from fermented G. seeds has achieved the best acceptability, when compared with other commercial products by fuzzy sensory evaluation and electronic tongue. Generally, this work can provide new insight into the deep processing of G. seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to utilize the benefits of blackthorn flower polyphenols and provide their stabilization during processing and storage, and to facilitate their application in functional food products, this study aimed to evaluate the encapsulation parameters during the spray-drying process of blackthorn flower extract. The effect of the type of wall material (maltodextrin (MD) and its mixtures with gum arabic (GA) and inulin (IN)), its ratio to extract dry matter (0.5, 1, and 2) and drying temperature (120, 150, and 180 °C) on the concentration of different polyphenolic groups was studied. While the lowest applied amount of wall material at the lowest drying temperature enabled efficient encapsulation of all polyphenolic groups, the type of wall material applied caused significant differences in retention. The highest concentrations of both phenolic acids and flavonoids were achieved with the addition of 25% of GA in MD. Unlike the addition of GA, mixtures of MD with IN did not show a positive effect on the retention of polyphenols. Selected encapsulation parameters ensured the high retention of total phenolics, namely 87.87% of the content determined in the liquid extract prior to spray drying, thereby providing a polyphenol-rich product with great potential for application in functional food and the nutraceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils (EOs) are naturally occurring volatile aromatic compounds extracted from different parts of plants. They are made up of components like terpenes, phenols, etc., and are chemically unstable and susceptible to oxidative deterioration, leading to reduced shelf-life and overall degradation of the product. Encapsulation of EOs in a matrix can prevent degradation of the active ingredient and improve the shelf-life. In this paper, we report encapsulation of Dhavana oil (Artemisia pellen) in a modified starch matrix using a spray-drying technique. Physico-chemical properties of neat and encapsulated Dhavana oil were studied. We selected two powder bases: CaCO3 and TALC and, loaded neat and encapsulated Dhavana oil in it, studied their stability and interaction with the base matrices at 3 °C, 22 °C and 45 °C up to 2 months under closed conditions and one week at 22 °C and 45 °C under open condition. Thermal degradation pattern was studied for neat and encapsulated Dhavana oil and modified starch. Release of primary active component of neat and encapsulated Dhavana oil from the base matrices was evaluated with GCMS. Stability study and release mechanism were elucidated to understand the release pattern in different base powders under similar conditions. Retention of hydroxydhavanone was found to be better in TALC than CaCO3, and therefore, the former can be considered a suitable base matrix for developing a stable powder formulation with an optimum release of the oil. Dhavana oil is known for its anti-microbial activity, and hence, neat and encapsulated Dhavana oil was tested on different bacterial and fungal strains. The encapsulated oil depicted good anti-microbial efficacy against various bacterial and fungal strains, which is a step forward for developing anti-microbial formulations. Thus, the reported work will provide helpful information on cosmetic formulation and, therefore, be useful for perfumery, food, and cosmetic industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common worldwide. Its treatment includes adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) administered intravenously. 5FU is an antineoplastic drug of the fluoropyrimidines group, widely used in the treatment of solid tumors, mainly CRC. Nevertheless, it causes several adverse effects and poor effectiveness due to its short half-life. This work aimed to employ bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) as an encapsulation material for the oral administration of 5FU. First, the adsorption phenomena were analyzed by isotherms, thermodynamic parameters, and kinetic models. Then, encapsulation was carried out using spray-drying, and encapsulated 5FU desorption profiles were assessed in simulated fluids. The biological behavior was evaluated on colon cancer SW480 and SW620 cell lines. As result, it was found that at 25 °C a monolayer of 5FU was formed and the process showed to be the most spontaneous one. In the characterization of the nanocapsules, important changes were detected by the presence of 5FU. The delivery in the colon corresponded to a controlled release behavior. The in vitro assay indicated an improvement in the toxicity effect of the drug and its mechanism of action. Accordingly, BNC is a promising biomaterial for the development of a colon drug delivery platform of 5FU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning the morphology of supraparticles can crucially influence their final properties and is, thus, important for their application in chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries. The present study reveals how varied nanoparticle sizes, concentrations, and weight ratios in multicomponent dispersions influence the morphology of supraparticles assembled by these nanoparticle building blocks via spray‐drying. In a droplet containing monodisperse nanoparticles, smaller nanoparticles form a coherent elastic shell due to lower cohesive forces. As the solvent enclosed in the shell evaporates less easily due to the narrow pores between the nanoparticles, this ultimately results in rather non‐spherical supraparticles, while larger nanoparticles tend to yield spherical supraparticles. When small nanoparticles outweigh large ones in binary or trinary dispersions, the small nanoparticles form the outer shell that shrinks into a mushroom cap‐like shape upon drying of the spray‐droplet, while larger nanoparticles stay in the center of the droplet, resulting in non‐spherical supraparticles. Furthermore, the findings give a more systematic insight into structures that potentially arise from multimodal‐sized building blocks, thus, paving the way to tune the supraparticle morphology upon spray‐drying, when working with more complex, multicomponent dispersions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Dried chamomile flowers have a longer shelf life and the dried extract in form of powder offers much flexibility for new therapeutic formulations as it could be used as a replacement for liquid extract and serve as a shelf-stable ingredient in new applications. This study aims to determine the effect of drying methods, i.e., convection oven-drying at 45 °C, freeze-drying at −50°C, and spray-drying at 140°C at 10.5 and 12 ml/min, respectively) on powder yield, physicochemical properties (moisture content, water activity, and color attributes), and total polyphenol content of chamomile extract powder. Our findings showed that spray-drying conducted at 140°C, 12 ml/min resulted in the lowest yield of powder (16.67%) compared to convection oven-drying (90.17%) and freezedrying (83.24%). Decreasing the feed flow rate to 10.5 ml/min during spraying caused an increase in powder yield to 26.99%. The moisture content of spraydried chamomile extract powder obtained at 140°C, 10.5 ml/min was higher (11.00%) compared to that of convection oven-dried (8.50%) and freeze-dried (7.50%). Both convection oven-dried and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder displayed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in moisture content. The higher feed flow rate (12 ml/min) in spray-drying also led to an increase in the moisture content of chamomile extract powder to 12.00%. The higher residual moisture found in the spray-dried samples resulted in partial agglomeration of particles. In terms of water activity, freeze-dried chamomile extract powder was found to have the highest water activity (0.63) compared to that of convection oven-dried (0.52), spray-dried at 140°C, 10.5 ml/min (0.57), and spray-dried at 140°C, 12 ml/min (0.58). Spraydried and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder with high moisture content and water activity could be highly susceptible to microbial growth. In terms of color attributes, higher drying temperature in spray-drying led to darker, redder, and more yellowish chamomile extract powder that could be caused by heatinduced Maillard reaction and caramelization. Since lower drying temperature was used in both convection oven-drying and freeze-drying, both convection oven-dried (56.94 mg GAE/g powder) and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder (55.98 mg GAE/g powder) were found to have higher total polyphenol content compared to those of spray-dried (42.79–46.79 mg GAE/g powder). The present findings allow us to understand the effect of drying methods on the properties of chamomile extract powder and provide a better drying option to dry chamomile extract. Due to higher powder yield with ideal powder properties such as low moisture content and water activity, desirable color, and high total polyphenol content obtained from convection oven-drying, convection oven-drying was a better option than freeze-drying and spray-drying for drying chamomile extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of different concentrations of pea protein concentrate (PPC) in the physical properties, porosity features, and oxidative stability of maltodextrin-based spray-dried microparticles containing orange essential oil (OEO, rich in limonene) were evaluated. The use of PPC resulted in spray-dried microparticles with encapsulation efficiencies of about 99 wt%, without visible pores, and relatively high glass transition temperature (66,4 °C) at Aw ∼ 0.3. The nitrogen adsorption and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy measurements showed that the increase of PPC concentration from 2.4 to 4.8 wt% (g of PPC/100 g of emulsion) did not affect the porosity features of the microparticles. These results were confirmed by the profiles of OEO retention and limonene oxide production, which were similar for both samples throughout four weeks of storage. Based on these results, we verified that the lower amount of PPC we tested can effectively protect the OEO during storage, showing that a relatively cheaper orange flavor powder can be produced using less protein.

[Display omitted] Biopharmaceuticals are labile biomolecules that must be safeguarded to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of the product. Batch freeze-drying is an established means of manufacturing solid biopharmaceuticals but alternative technologies such as spray-drying may be more suitable for continuous manufacturing of inhalable biopharmaceuticals. Here we assessed the feasibility of spray-drying Olipudase alfa, a novel parenteral therapeutic enzyme, by evaluating some of its critical quality attributes (CQAs) in a range of excipients, namely, trehalose, arginine (Arg), and arginine hydrochloride (Arg-HCl) in the sucrose/methionine base formulation. The Arg-HCl excipient produced the best gain in CQAs of spray-dried Olipudase with a 63% reduction in reconstitution time and 83% reduction in the optical density of the solution. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the atomic-scale mechanism of the protein–excipient interactions, substantiating the experimental results. The Arg-HCl effect was explained by the calculated thermal stability and structural order of the protein wherein Arg-HCl acted as a crowding agent to suppress protein aggregation and promote stabilization of Olipudase post-spray-drying. Therefore, by rational selection of appropriate excipients, our experimental and modelling dataset confirms spray-drying is a promising technology for the manufacture of Olipudase and demonstrates the potential to accelerate development of continuous manufacturing of parenteral biopharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of oral solid dosage forms containing biologics has attracted intense interests recently due to the high patient convenience and the commercial potential of related products. The aim of this study was to understand how the difference in the particle properties prepared using two different drying principles, i.e. freeze-drying and spray-drying, may influence the compaction behavior of particulate protein systems. Here, trypsin was used as a model protein drug and lactose as a filler. The raw freeze-dried (FD) powder composed mostly of trypsin and lactose was dissolved in Milli-Q water and processed by spray-drying to produce spray-dried (SD) powder. Meanwhile, the raw FD powder was micronized by a ball mill into fine ball-milled (BM) powder with a comparable particle size to that of SD powder. Next, the FD, BM and SD powders were characterized with regard to morphology, residual moisture content (RMC), solid form, and surface chemistry using scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Subsequently, a compaction simulator was employed to prepare tablets within the compaction pressure range of 25 to 400 MPa. The results showed that FD and BM powders could be compressed into tablets within the investigated compaction pressure range. In contrast, tablets compacted from SD powder displayed capping/lamination tendency under high compaction pressures and thus had poor tabletability. XPS analyses revealed that there were more surface enrichments of trypsin in the SD powder compared to that of FD powder. It implies that there would be more hydrophobic inter-particulate trypsin-trypsin interactions and less hydrophilic lactose-lactose interactions during the compression of SD powder compared to the compaction of FD powder. The weak hydrophobic inter-particulate trypsin-trypsin interactions may not be maintained during the decompression phase especially when compacted at high compaction pressure ranges, resulting in capping/lamination of the SD tablets. This study demonstrates that the two drying principles, i.e. freeze-drying and spray-drying, can result in different particle properties of biologics, which can in turn influence the tabletability of the resulting solid materials. [Display omitted] • Spray-dried trypsin/lactose powder displayed poor tabletability compared to freeze-dried trypsin/lactose powder • The residual moisture content, bulk density, particle size, and surface morphology are not the primary factors responsible for the poor tabletability of the SD powder, but the surface chemistry • More hydrophobic trypsin-trypsin interactions, rather than lactose-lactose hydrophilic interactions between spray-dried trypsin/lactose particles, contributed to the poor tabletability of the SD powder [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microencapsulation has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the stability and protection of bioactive compounds. In this work, roasted mate tea was microencapsulated using 15 % maltodextrin and lasiodiplodan (0.5–1.25 %) as wall coating materials. The microcapsules were characterized for encapsulation efficiency, hygroscopicity, moisture, water activity, water solubility, dissolubility, scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, colorimetry, antioxidant activity, as well as quantification of phenolic compounds and caffeine. Microencapsulation yields ranged from 44.92 to 56.39 %, and encapsulation efficiency varied from 66.54 to 70.16 by increasing the lasiodiplodan concentration. FT-IR revealed phenolic acids, flavonoids, and polyphenolics. Minor color variations were observed among the samples. Thermal analysis demonstrated the microencapsulates exhibited good thermal stability with no degradation below 250 °C. Encapsulated samples showed high levels of bioactive compounds, suggesting that microencapsulation by spray-drying was a favorable process, where maltodextrin, a low-cost protective agent, when combined with the properties of lasiodiplodan, can be a good option for stabilizing mate extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple food-grade Pickering emulsions are currently being developed to protect bioactive compounds during gastrointestinal digestion, ensuring their efficient delivery. Moreover, microencapsulation of Pickering emulsions by spray-drying can extend their shelf life. However, there are currently no reviews focusing on the effects of microencapsulation on the properties, morphology and efficiency before and after rehydration of Pickering emulsions. This article focuses on the recent progress in the development of food-grade Pickering emulsions, including detailed information of multiple stabilizers and principles and mechanisms for the formation of these emulsions, effects of spray-drying for the generation of microcapsules, and the stability of these delivery systems before and after rehydration, including also final remarks on the future prospects for their industrial widespread use. Key findings and conclusions : Food-grade particles (polysaccharides, proteins, polyphenols, fat crystals, agri-food by-products, composites etc.) extracted from multiple biomass can be used as stabilizers of Pickering emulsions. Microencapsulation process facilitates transportation and storage of Pickering emulsions, although spray-drying conditions (i.e. equipment, processing parameters, wall materials) significantly affect the properties of these microcapsules and their prospect applications. Future research must explore the use of emerging technologies to improve the formation and microencapsulation of Pickering emulsions that could be produced at industrial scale, while ensuring the bioavailability and protection of the encapsulated bioactive compounds. This will ensure an increased market uptake for the delivery of bioactive compounds and the development of nutraceuticals or functional foods. [Display omitted] • The latest developments in food grade Pickering emulsions are summarized. • Spray-drying of Pickering emulsion benefits its transportation and storage. • Pickering emulsion microcapsules can be rehydrated and added to food matrices. • Future development trends of Pickering emulsion microcapsules are explored. • This review expands the application of Pickering emulsions in microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the probiotic potential of Enterococcus durans F21 and its microencapsulation. Two microencapsulation methods, spray-drying (SD) and freeze-drying (FD), were employed using sodium caseinate (Cas) as a cell protectant at concentrations of 0.035% and 1% and at two pHs, 3 and 7. Maltodextrins (MD) served as wall material (10%). Microcapsules were analysed for cell viability and membrane damage after drying, survival under simulated gastro-intestinal conditions, antimicrobial activity, stability during storage, and physicochemical characterization. Results showed that E. durans F21 exhibited promising probiotic properties, including moderate auto-aggregation, high co-aggregation with pathogens, moderate biofilm formation, and resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The encapsulation pH showed to be a crucial factor affecting the viability of microencapsulated cells. Microencapsulation at pH 3 adversely affected cell viability during drying. However, microencapsulation at pH 7 using Cas (at 0.035 and 1%) was found to be most effective in maintaining higher cell viability under similar conditions. No significant difference was detected between both Cas formulations, suggesting that 0.035% Cas concentration might be sufficient for the microencapsulation process at pH 7. Moreover, FD proved to be the most effective method to produce E. durans F21 microcapsules with high viability (cell viability of 93%) and stability during storage (cell viability of 99%). Conclusively, microencapsulation of E. durans F21 using Cas, at pH 7, and employing FD method could be a promising strategy for producing highly viable microcapsules containing E. durans F21 cells with high probiotic and bio-preservative potentials in foods. [Display omitted] • Enterococcus durans F21, a bacteriocin-producing LAB, is remarkably endowed with promising probiotic properties. • The encapsulation pH is a crucial factor affecting the viability of microencapsulated E. durans F21. • At pH 7, sodium caseinate at pH 7 significantly enhanced the viability of microencapsulated E. durans F21 to reach 99%. • Freeze-drying allowed to the production of highly viable E. durans F21 microcapsules (viability higher than 93%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• OER catalyst NiCoO x @CB was prepared successful through a spray-drying method. • The method is simple, environmentally friendly and easily scaled up. • NiCoO x particles exhibited average size <8 nm, offering numerous active site. • Wrapped structure could prevent active component from agglomerating during OER. • NiCoO x nanoparticles exist as an alloy oxide, promoting interatomic synergies. The search for the simple and convenient design method of a non-precious metal oxygen evolution catalyst is still an emerging strategy today. Usually, nano-alloy oxide can enhance the catalytic activity for large specific surface area and active site, which have been widely studied for the purpose of developing active electrocatalysts for water splitting, while, nanoparticles are fundamentally less stable and prone to substantial size growth in long-term operations. Therefore, a framework of hierarchical porous composite microsphere with NiCoO x nanoparticles wrapped by Carbon Black (NiCoO x @CB) was fabricated successfully through spray-drying in this paper. Benefitting from the porous nanostructure and 0 D nano-alloy oxide active site, a remarkable OER performance with a low overpotential for 241 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 in alkaline media was exhibited. And, from the support of wrapped structure, NiCoO x @CB showed a superior durability with 90 h for nanoparticles were prevented to reunion during the reaction. Also, the heterogeneous interfaces with strong charge transfers between CB and NiCoO x nanoparticles could enhance OER performance (NiCoO x showed 265 mV at 10 mA·cm−2). The proposed method in this paper work provide a facile route to construct the porous composite microsphere with excellent OER electrocatalytic activity based on non-noble metal oxide wrapped by CB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the diverse health benefits of apigenin (AP), functional foods containing AP might interest the health-conscious market. However, the poor aqueous solubility of AP hinders its direct incorporation into food products. To overcome these limitations, AP was encapsulated in spray-dried unilamellar liposomes coated with chitosan. This study investigated the potential of spray-dried chitosan-coated AP liposomes (SCAL) for delivering AP in mango juice. The incorporation of SCAL did not alter the juice's proximate compositions or substantially affect its physicochemical properties. Mango juice with SCAL attained a comparable sensory acceptance to the control juice, with the added benefit of higher antioxidant capacity. Compared to the unencapsulated AP, SCAL exhibited a higher bioaccessibility of AP in mango juice, with a rapid release of AP during intestinal digestion. The pH values, total soluble solids, and colour properties of juice with SCAL did not change remarkably during juice storage at 4 °C for 28 days. On day 28, the retention of AP content and antioxidant capacity were higher in mango juice added with SCAL than the unencapsulated AP. Therefore, SCAL can be promising in delivering AP in aqueous food systems, making it possible to develop functional foods. • Adding SCAL to mango juice did not remarkably alter the juice's properties. • SCAL improved the bioaccessibility of apigenin in mango juice. • Mango juice with SCAL had above-average sensory acceptance. • Mango juice with SCAL showed retention of apigenin content and antioxidant capacity. • SCAL is potential in delivering apigenin in mango juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates the formation of microencapsulated geraniol powder, with the exopolysaccharide EPS-K1B3 produced by Halomonas caseinilytica K1, as wall material, using spray-drying. Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the functional emulsions, prepared at either pH 5 or pH 7, was carried out against Gram-positive (Listeria innocua (ATCC 33090)) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli (DSM682)) bacterial strains. Results showed prolonged antimicrobial efficacy until 30 days of incubation for geraniol microcapsules compared to wet geraniol emulsions, which could confirm the ability of the spray-drying process to protect encapsulated geraniol for a longer period. The highest antimicrobial efficacy of geraniol microcapsules was observed against L. innocua at pH 5. Therefore, the influence of pH on the functional property of geraniol microcapsules could be highlighted beside the targeted bacterial strain.

Propolis is a well-known natural antibacterial substance with various biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. However, applications of propolis are limited due to its low water solubility. In this study, propolis microcapsules were developed with a core material of ethanol extract of propolis and shell materials of gum arabic and β-cyclodextrin using a spray-drying technique. The optional processing formula, particle size distribution, morphology, dissolution property, and antibacterial activity of propolis microcapsules were determined. The results showed that the optional processing obtained an embedding rate of 90.99% propolis microcapsules with an average particle size of 445.66 ± 16.96 nm. The infrared spectrogram and thermogravimetric analyses showed that propolis was embedded in the shell materials. The propolis microcapsules were continuously released in water and fully released on the eighth day, and compared to propolis, the microcapsules exhibited weaker antibacterial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of propolis microcapsules against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 0.15 and 1.25 mg/mL, and their minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were 0.3 and 1.25 mg/mL, respectively. This water-soluble propolis microcapsule shows the potential for use as a sustained-release food additive, preservative, or drug.

Actinidia arguta leaves have gained notoriety over the past years due to their rich bioactive composition with human pro-healthy effects, particularly in relation to antioxidants. Nevertheless, antioxidants are well known for their chemical instability, making it necessary to develop suitable delivery systems, such as microparticles, to provide protection and ensure a controlled release. The aim of this work was to produce polymeric particles of A. arguta leaves extract by spray-drying that may improve the oral mucositis condition. Microparticles were characterized by size, shape, antioxidant/antiradical activities, swelling capacity, moisture content, and effect on oral cells (TR146 and HSC-3) viability, with the aim to assess their potential application in this oral condition. The results attested the microparticles’ spherical morphology and production yields of 41.43% and 36.40%, respectively, for empty and A. arguta leaves extract microparticles. The A. arguta leaves extract microparticles obtained the highest phenolic content (19.29 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant/antiradical activities (FRAP = 81.72 µmol FSE/g; DPPH = 4.90 mg TE/g), being perceived as an increase in moisture content and swelling capacity. No differences were observed between empty and loaded microparticles through FTIR analysis. Furthermore, the exposure to HSC-3 and TR146 did not lead to a viability decrease, attesting their safety for oral administration. Overall, these results highlight the significant potential of A. arguta leaves extract microparticles for applications in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Abstract Tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) have many health benefits due to their abundance of polyphenols with antioxidant activity, most notably epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG). To protect those bioactive compounds, the spray‐drying technique of green tea‐extracted solution is conducted because of encapsulating. This study aimed to optimize the spray‐drying condition using the response surface methodology (RSM) with respect to the maximal polyphenol content of the product. Furthermore, the characterizations of resulting powder were determined. The results showed that optimal spray‐drying temperature, input flow rate, and whey protein isolate (WPI) content were evaluated at 136℃, 6.8 rpm, and 10.3% of dry basis, respectively. The obtained green tea powder products, which got from optimal spray‐drying process, achieved total polyphenol content (TPC), EGCG, and caffeine content of 322.06 mg GAE/g, 11.4%, and 2.8% of dry basis, respectively. This result revealed the feasibility of green tea leaves to produce tea powder rich in EGCG and polyphenols by spray‐drying technique, potentially contributing to the diversification of tea products.

The existence of phytochemicals in Cosmos caudatus Kunth, predominantly phenolic compounds, offers several health benefits. Nevertheless, the bioactive compounds are usually susceptible to degradation, and therefore may reduce their biological activity. This work aims to carry out microencapsulation of C. caudatus K. extracts by spray drying technique. The in vitro alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of the microencapsulated product is also investigated. The effect of manufacturing conditions, including pH, the concentration of wall materials, and stirring time, was evaluated. The optimal conditions for microcapsules formation were selected based on the activity of microcapsules as inhibitors for the alpha-amylase enzyme, pointing out by the lowest number of IC50. Results showed that microcapsules prepared in pH 4, 0.05% of chitosan, and 90 min stirring time had optimum efficiency, with the IC50 value of 92.85 ± 1.21 μg/mL. The FTIR (Fourier-Transform infrared) analysis showed that the –C–N stretching amine functional group appeared at wavenumber 1285 cm–1, and the –P=O phosphate bending appeared at 1206 cm–1. Characterization with PSA (particle size analyzer) and SEM (scanning electron microscope) indicated that microcapsules had predominantly spherical forms with a mean diameter of 38.92 μm. This work confirms the important role of microencapsulation in developing plant extracts with retained biological functionalities.

Centella asiatica extract has low solubility in water. Material modification needs to be conducted to increase the dissolution rate of Centella asiatica extract. The particle size reduction to nano-size was carried out to increase surface contact with aqueous media. High surface contact was expected to increase the solubility and absorption rate. Nanoparticles were prepared with 34% maltodextrin and 6% β-cyclodextrin as a stabilizer and dried by a spray-drying method. High temperature in the spray drying process can affect the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanoparticles, so the inlet temperature in this study was observed as parameter variations, on 140oC, 150oC, and 160oC. The formed nanoparticles then being tested on several parameters, including physical appearance, moisture content, particle size, shape, and morphology. The chemical stability of the active ingredients during the drying process was assessed from the pH value changes and the content of quercetin as an antioxidant post drying process, compared to the initial content. The test results show that the nanoparticles have been formed. The inlet temperature of 160oC produced the most physically optimum spherical nanoparticles, with a particle size of 191.533 ± 18.791 nm and relatively homogeneous with a polydispersity index (PDI) value of 0.113 ± 0.057. However, temperatures that are too high indicate poor chemical stability. The poor chemical stability can be seen from the quercetin content that decreased significantly after the drying process, until the remaining 53.87 ± 0.55% and 49.52 ± 0.97% for temperatures of 140oC and 160oC, respectively. These results indicate that the combination of β-cyclodextrin and maltodextrin can not encapsulate and maintain the stability of the active ingredients during the spray drying process. A significant reduction of inlet temperature is needed to get dry nanoparticles with the most optimum physical mixture and chemical stability.

The present work is aiming to propose a new formulation of Bacillus spp. strains in combination with natural phosphate by spray drying. Bacillus sp. strain (SS0306) has proven its plant growth promoting effectiveness mainly on phosphate solubilization capacity and improved nutrient assimilation in wheat plants. Bacterial microencapsulation methods involved spray-drying assays that were conducted using 5% of rock phosphate with 2%–10% of maltodextrin and 2% of alginic acid sodium salt. The process parameters were also optimized with inlet temperature (155 °C), feed rate (9 min mL−1), and spray air rate (413.87 L h−1). Results showed a moisture content of the dried powders ranged between 2% and 8% and satisfactory viability levels of Bacillus sp. SS0306 (105–106 CFU g−1) after drying assay, with the survival rates between 61.56% and 64.18%. Optimized process reached 50.30% and 65.10% for the product yield, with 1.25 ± 0.006 mg g−1 of higher Pi content observed in rock phosphate formulations based on Alg 2%. The present study opens new possibilities to develop Bio-mineral fertilizers using the spray drying approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Explosives & Propellants is the property of Chinese Journal of Explosives & Propellants Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Salta province, northwestern Argentina, produces blueberries for export and discards fruits with a potential quantity of bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds have health-promoting properties that prevent or delay the appearance of chronic diseases. This study aimed to formulate blueberry microcapsules using discarded fruit, to determine and evaluate the effect of spray-drying and lyophilization on the bioactive compounds and their physical properties. Fourteen capsule prototypes were obtained by applying a randomized full factorial design with two factors: type of drying and type of wall material. The former factor had two levels (spray-drying and lyophilization) and the latter had three levels, each with defined quantities to be used, namely maltodextrin (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%), gum Arabic (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%), and modified starch (0%, 10%, 15%, and 30%). Spray-drying, lyophilization, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, antioxidant activity, and the physical properties of the microcapsules were analyzed using ANOVA, PCA, and cluster analysis. Results showed significant differences between the two processes (P < 0,05), with lyophilization being better at preserving bioactive compounds. The PCA test also showed a positive association between lyophilization and bioactive compounds, while spray-drying powders were related to negative characteristics, like moisture and water activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of heteroprotein complexes obtained by the interactions between sodium caseinate (CAS) and lysozyme (LYS) at pH 7 was investigated by using turbidimetric analysis, particle size distribution, and zeta potential at different CAS/LYS ratios. Moreover, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to determine the type and magnitude of the energies involved in the CAS/LYS complexation process and evaluated the thermodynamic behavior of their complexation. Results revealed that the structure of CAS/LYS complexes drastically changed when CAS/LYS ratio increased to 1.0 and the structuring stages were characterized by exothermic signals and were controlled by favorable enthalpy changes due to electrostatic interactions between both proteins. In addition, the interaction between two proteins was temperature-dependent and mainly entropy-driven, which was verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding were shown to play an important role in CAS/LYS interactions. Furthermore, CAS/LYS complexes showed minimum LYS enzymatic activity at CAS/LYS ratio 1.0. Though spray-drying of CAS/LYS complexes with ratio 1.0, the LYS activity in reconstituted solution was recovered >80 % of initial activity after calcium chloride addition. The present study provides useful information about CAS/LYS complexation and binding processes, which could facilitate their application in antimicrobial edible food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols have received great attention as important phytochemicals beneficial for human health. They have a protective effect against cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes. The utilization of polyphenols as natural antioxidants, functional ingredients and supplements is limited due to their low stability caused by environmental and processing conditions, such as heat, light, oxygen, pH, enzymes and so forth. These disadvantages are overcome by the encapsulation of polyphenols by different methods in the presence of polyphenolic carriers. Different encapsulation technologies have been established with the purpose of decreasing polyphenol sensitivity and the creation of more efficient delivery systems. Among them, spray-drying and freeze-drying are the most common methods for polyphenol encapsulation. This review will provide an overview of scientific studies in which polyphenols from different sources were encapsulated using these two drying methods, as well as the impact of different polysaccharides used as carriers for encapsulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethyl cellulose (EC)-based microparticles, with and without the incorporation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a second encapsulating agent, were prepared using the spray-drying process for the encapsulation of retinoic acid (RA). The production of a suitable controlled delivery system for this retinoid will promote its antitumor efficiency against acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) due to the possibility of increasing the bioavailability of RA. Product yield ranged from 12 to 28% in all the microparticle formulations, including unloaded microparticles and RA-loaded microparticles. Microparticles with a mean diameter between 0.090 ± 0.002 and 0.54 ± 0.02 µm (number size distribution) and with an irregular form and rough surface were obtained. Furthermore, regarding RA-loaded microparticles, both polymer-based formulations exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of around 100%. A rapid and complete RA release was reached in 40 min from EC− and EC + PEG-based microparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytisine (CYT) has emerged as a promising molecule to treat nicotine addiction, since it acts as a partial agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. However, its unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties lead to multiple administrations per day, reducing the patient's compliance and increasing the side effects. To overcome these drawbacks, CYT buccal administration is here proposed. Firstly, CYT stability in the buccal environment was assessed and its intrinsic ability to permeate/penetrate the tissue was determined by applying CYT solutions at increasing concentrations. Furthermore, a spray-drying method was selected and optimized as it is an eco-friendly, easily scalable and effective technique to obtain uniform and reproducible CYT-loaded (5% w/w) pharmaceutical powders, which were directly compressed, thus obtaining different buccal delivery systems (BDSs). The obtained BDSs were homogeneous and reproducible and embedded CYT in its amorphous form. The mechanism of CYT release was evaluated in vitro and found to be mainly driven by a Fickian diffusion phenomenon. Predominantly, the ex vivo permeation assays highlighted the ability of the BDSs to enhance CYT permeation, also producing high drug fluxes through the mucosa. Speculative mathematical evaluations based on the already-known CYT pharmacokinetic parameters showed that CYT-loaded BDSs could potentially be sufficient to obtain a therapeutic effect, thus making the reported formulations suitable candidates for further in vivo trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study compares the impact of freeze- and spray-drying (FD, SD) microencapsulation methods on the content of β-glucan, total polyphenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF), phenolic acids (PA), and antioxidant activity (AA) in commercially β-glucan powder (Pleurotus ostreatus) using maltodextrin as a carrier. Morphology (scanning electron microscopy- SEM), yield, moisture content (MC), and water activity (aw) were also evaluated in the samples. Our examinations revealed significant structural differences between powders microencapsulated by the drying methods. As compared to non-encapsulated powder, the SD powder with yield of 44.38 ± 0.55% exhibited more reduced (p < 0.05) values for aw (0.456 ± 0.001) and MC (8.90 ± 0.44%) than the FD one (yield: 27.97 ± 0.33%; aw: 0.506 ± 0.002; MC: 11.30 ± 0.28%). In addition, the highest values for β-glucan content (72.39 ± 0.38%), TPC (3.40 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g), and TFC (3.07 ± 0.29 mg QE/g) have been detected in the SD powder. Our results allow for the conclusion that the SD microencapsulation method using maltodextrin seems to be more powerful in terms of the β-glucan powder yield and its contents of β-glucan, TP, and TF as compared to the FD technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, carotenoids were recovered from processing sweet corn by-products (SCB). The total carotenoid content determined in the SCB extract was 1.19 mg/100 g DW, and the principal carotenoids identified by the HPLC technique were zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and lutein. Freeze- and spray-drying techniques were applied for the encapsulation of SCB extract; for this purpose, four different wall materials were used: two proteins (soy and pea) and two carbohydrates (maltodextrin and inulin). The physicochemical characteristics of eight encapsulates were determined to assess their stability. The obtained results indicate that, by using the freeze-drying method, better water activity, moisture content as well as encapsulation efficiency were achieved. Spray-drying resulted in better flowing properties. All obtained encapsulates were microbiologically safe for food applications due to the fact that the obtained results are in agreement with the requirements for consumer safety, i.e., for further food applications and scale-up processes. Chemometric classification and ranking techniques were applied to observe potential grouping among the investigated encapsulates and to select the most favorable encapsulates regarding the used wall materials and encapsulation techniques for the assessment of sustainability in food products. The most suitable wall material and encapsulation technique for the assessment of sustainability in food products was produced by freeze-drying pea protein as a wall material (FDP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, gastro-resistant microparticles (MPs) were produced using the spray-drying technique as controlled-release systems for some model liposoluble vitamins, including retinyl-palmitate, retinyl-acetate, β-carotene, cholecalciferol and α-tocopherol. The gastroprotective action of three different gastro-resistant excipients, the anionic methacrylic copolymer (Eudraguard®® Biotic, E1207), the cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and whey proteins (WPs), was compared. The latter was used to produce a novel delivery system manufactured with only food-derived components, such as milk, and showed several improvements over the two synthetic gastro-resistant agents. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a quite homogeneous spherical shape of all microparticle batches, with an average diameter between 7 and 15 μm. FTIR analysis was used to evaluate the effective incorporation of vitamins within the microparticles and the absence of any degradation to the components of the formulation. The comparison graphs of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed that the spray drying technique generates a solid in which the physical interactions between the excipients and the vitamins are very strong. Release studies showed a prominent pH-controlled release and partially a delayed-release profile. Ex vivo permeation studies of retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate and α-tocopherol revealed greater transmucosal permeation capacity for microparticles produced with the WPs and milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape canes (Vitis vinifera L.) are an important source of bioactive stilbenes, but they are considered a pruning residue. Despite the potential advantages for human health, the low aqueous solubility and stability limits their usage in commercial goods. This research aimed to improve knowledge about the solubility and stability of the main stilbenes present in important residues of the wine industry, such as grape canes (V. vinifera L. cv. Pinot Noir), through the formation of inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs) and subsequent polymeric microencapsulation. The formation of inclusion complexes between stilbenes presents in grape cane extracts and 15 mM hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) increased the aqueous solubility of (E)-resveratrol, (E)-ε-viniferin and (E)-piceatannol by 2.8, 5.4 and 1.9 times, respectively. The microencapsulation (by spray drying) of the inclusion complexes using maltodextrin (MD) (10% w/v) allowed us to improve the stability of the stilbenes, obtaining a retention percentage of 81.9 ± 2.2% after 60 min of UV irradiation (254 nm). The lower size microparticles (MPs) formulation was 10.9 ± 0.9 µm and had a stilbene loading of 0.61 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg of MPs. The prototype tablets and capsules made from the MPs presented suitable characteristics for their eventual use. The microencapsulation of inclusion complexes between stilbenes presents in grape cane extracts and HP-β-CD, using MD as a matrix component, is useful to increase the solubility and stability of stilbenes. The prepared MPs can be used for the development of nutraceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Veterinaria is the property of Universidad Nacional del Nordeste and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lotus and Green Tea leaves are two frequently used medicinal plants in Vietnam, utilized as food, drink, or in traditional treatments to help with weight loss and cholesterol reduction. The study’s major goal is to determine the parameters of the process preparation in order to generate instant tea powder that satisfies quality criteria for customer demand. Twenty experiments are conducted using the D-optimal model to evaluate the cause-effect relationship and optimize the production process of instant tea powder. Four independent variables are selected for the survey namely alcohol concentration (40%; 50%; 60%), carrier mass (10 g; 20 g; 30 g), inlet air temperature (160°C; 170°C) and flow rate (4 rpm/min; 5 rpm/min). The instant tea powder is effectively created and met quality parameters, with a drying performance, moisture content, total phenol and flavonoid content of 29.15%, 4.83%, 45.29 mg GA/g, and 70.68 mg QE/g, respectively. In conclusion, the optimal parameters of the preparation process were identified, which included an alcohol content of 60%, a carrier mass of 10 g, an inlet air temperature of 165°C, and a flow rate of 4 rpm/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of tablets containing biologics exposes the biologics to thermal and shear stresses, which are likely to induce structural changes (e.g., aggregation and denaturation), leading to the loss of their activity. Saccharides often act as stabilizers of proteins in formulations, yet their stabilizing ability throughout solid oral dosage processing, such as tableting, has been barely studied. This work aimed to investigate the effects of formulation and process (tableting and spray-drying) variables on catalase tablets containing dextran, mannitol, and trehalose as potential stabilizers. Non-spray-dried and spray-dried formulations were prepared and tableted (100, 200, and 400 MPa). The enzymatic activity, number of aggregates, reflecting protein aggregation and structure modifications were studied. A principal component analysis was performed to reveal underlying correlations. It was found that tableting and spray-drying had a notable negative effect on the activity and number of aggregates formed in catalase formulations. Overall, dextran and mannitol failed to preserve the catalase activity in any unit operation studied. On the other hand, trehalose was found to preserve the activity during spray-drying but not necessarily during tableting. The study demonstrated that formulation and process variables must be considered and optimized together to preserve the characteristics of catalase throughout processing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Processing is an indispensable technology in the preparation of Spirulina platensis (S. platensis). The key odorants in liquids, muds, and powders from S. platensis (NM and GZ) were characterized. A total of 90 odorants were identified and 41 odorants were sniffed with the flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 1 to 729. Among them, nonanal, decanal, d-limonene, β-cyclocitral, and β-ionone with FD factors ≥1 were detected in S. platensis during the whole processing stages. In addition, heptanal, (E, E)-2,4-nonadienal, trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, 1-hepten-3-one, isophorone, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, and α-ionone exhibited higher odor activity values in powders; β-myrcene, methional, and S-methyl methanethiosulphonate were key odorants in muds; while trans-3-penten-2-ol was key odorant in liquids. Besides, the GZ-mud presented stronger earthy and fishy odor than NM-mud. S. platensis powders have the stronger grassy odor, roasted odor, and marine odor than S. platensis muds. Overall, drying process promotes the formation of aldehydes, heterocyclic compounds, and terpenoids., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Deep infection is the second most common complication of arthroplasty following loosening of the implant. Antibiotic-loaded bone cements (ALBCs) and high concentrations of systemic broad-spectrum antibiotics are commonly used to prevent infections following injury and surgery. However, clinical data fails to show that ALBCs are effective against deep infection, and negative side effects can result following prolonged administration of antibiotics. Additionally, the rise of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria provides an urgent need for alternatives to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Phage therapy, or the use of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) to target pathogenic bacteria, might offer a safe alternative to combat MDR bacteria. Application of phage therapy in the setting of deep infections requires formulation strategies that would stabilize bacteriophage against chemical and thermal stress during bone-cement polymerization, that maintain bacteriophage activity for weeks or months at physiological temperatures, and that allow for sustained release of phage to combat slow-growing, persistent bacteria. Here, we demonstrate the formulation of three phages that target diverse bacterial pathogens, which includes spray-drying of the particles for enhanced thermal stability at 37 °C and above. Additionally, we use atomic layer deposition (ALD) to coat spray-dried powders with alumina to allow for delayed release of phage from the dry formulations, and potentially protect phage against chemical damage during bone cement polymerization. Together, these findings present a strategy to formulate phages that possess thermal stability and sustained release properties for use in deep infections., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The University of Colorado has licensed intellectual property related to thermal stabilization and ALD coatings of vaccines to VitriVax, Inc., a company in which the Regents of the University of Colorado and TWR hold equity., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The structure of supraparticles (SPs) is a key parameter for achieving advanced functionalities arising from the combination of different nanoparticle (NP) types in one hierarchical entity. However, whenever a droplet-assisted forced assembly approach is used, e.g., spray-drying, the achievable structure is limited by the inherent drying phenomena of the method. In particular, mixed NP dispersions of differently sized colloids are heavily affected by segregation during the assembly. Herein, the influence of the colloidal arrangement of Pt and SiO 2 NPs within a single supraparticulate entity is investigated. A salt-based electrostatic manipulation approach of the utilized NPs is proposed to customize the structure of spray-dried Pt/SiO 2 SPs. By this, size-dependent separation phenomena of NPs during solvent evaporation, that limit the catalytic performance in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, are overcome by achieving even Pt NP distribution. Additionally, the textural properties (pore size and distribution) of the SiO 2 pore framework are altered to improve the mass transfer within the material leading to increased catalytic activity. The suggested strategy demonstrates a powerful, material-independent, and universally applicable approach to deliberately customize the structure and functionality of multi-component SP systems. This opens up new ways of colloidal material combinations and structural designs in droplet-assisted forced assembly approaches like spray-drying., (© 2024 The Authors. Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Regular consumption of hen eggs can help to prevent deficiencies of essential nutrients, such as essential amino acids, vitamin A and E or trace elements zinc and selenium, for vulnerable populations. This study focused on assessing the nutritional value of spray-dried eggs, favored by their manufacturability, storability and ease of addition to (complementary) foods. Using a wide range of analytical techniques, we recorded and compared the nutrient profiles of commercially produced pasteurized whole eggs and their respective powder samples spray-dried at 160°C. Important nutrients that were not significantly affected by spray-drying include total fat content, several amino acids, α- and δ-tocopherol, lutein, zeaxanthin, essential trace elements and cobalamin. The most notable mean losses were found for unsaturated fatty acids, e.g., linoleic (by −38.7%, from 4.11 ± 0.45 to 2.52 ± 0.75 g/100 g DM) and linolenic acid (by −60.8%, from 0.76 ± 0.05 to 0.30 ± 0.04 g/100 g DM). Despite recording significant retinol losses in two out of three batches, the overall low reduction of −14% recommend spray-dried eggs as a valuable source of vitamin A. A daily intake of spray-dried egg powder corresponding to one medium sized egg meets dietary reference values for children, e.g., by 100% for vitamin E, by 24% for retinol, by 61% for selenium and by 22% for zinc. In conclusion, even though a dry weight comparison favors supplementation with pasteurized whole eggs, our results demonstrate a high potential for spray-dried eggs as nutritional supplement. However, the spray-drying process should be optimized toward higher retentions of unsaturated fatty acids and retinol.

In order to enhance the quality of spray-dried products or to adjust material properties for new applications, precise control of the aggregate structure is desirable. For the purpose of preparing hierarchically structured aggregates in the micrometer range, the formulation of the suspension can be specifically designed, utilizing defined nanoparticulate building blocks to achieve a highly uniform structure and porosity. Further adjustments can be made by combining two types of primary particles that differ in size. Thereby, a segregation effect is observed, where nanoparticles with larger particle sizes accumulate rather within the core of an aggregate and those with smaller particle sizes gather mainly near the outer surface, resulting in the formation of a shell. Furthermore, it is possible to produce tailor-made porosities using template particles (e.g. polystyrene) of different sizes as part of the coarse and fine fractions. The removal of these particles by a subsequent tempering process can lead to aggregates with defined porous structures and thus, to different mechanical aggregate properties that can be specifically set by adjusting the process and formulation parameters. As a result, a promising building kit for the hierarchically structure formation via spray drying processes were achieved.For the detailed characterization structural and mechanical material properties were investigated, using e.g. mercury intrusion and SEM. The influence of the formulation parameters of the suspension (primary particle size and template content) on the micromechanical properties of the aggregate structures was systematically investigated by nanoindentation to elucidate structure-property relationships regarding, for example elastic and plastic deformation. As a result, a correlation could be established between the experimentally determined mechanical parameters and the aggregate porosities.Such microstructures with defined properties can be used in a variety of applications, including catalysis or as drug carriers. For instance, these spray-dried aggregates were loaded with ibuprofen as an exemplary active pharmaceutical ingredient and investigated with regard to their drug release behavior.

Microencapsulation of extra virgin olive oil has been taken into consideration. Initially, emulsions were prepared using extra virgin olive oil and aqueous solutions of different proportions of maltodextrin (MD) having dextrose equivalent (DE) 19 and whey protein isolates (WPI), such as 100% MD, 100% WPI, 25% MD + 75% WPI, 50% MD + 50% WPI and 75% MD + 25% WPI. Subsequently, emulsions were used for dehydration by either spray-drying (SD) or freeze-drying (FD) to produce olive oil microcapsules. Emulsion stability, viscosity and droplet size influenced the characteristics of the microcapsules. The highest encapsulation efficiency was achieved using 50% MD + 50% WPI in the emulsions with subsequent SD. The moisture content of the microcapsules increased with increasing proportions of MD. The size of the microcapsules increased with increasing proportions of WPI. The bulk density and tapped density were reduced with higher proportions of MD in the microcapsules. Furthermore, microcapsules with a higher proportion of MD exhibited poor flowability and high cohesiveness. Microcapsules from the higher proportion MD emulsions, followed by SD were spherical with a smooth surface; however, microcapsules with dent structures were produced from 100% WPI in the emulsions with subsequent SD. Microcapsules, produced from emulsions with a higher proportion of WPI, followed by FD were flat flakes and had irregular surfaces.

Phage therapy is recognized to be a promising alternative to fight antibiotic-resistant infections. In the quest for oral dosage forms containing bacteriophages, the utilization of colonic-release Eudragit® derivatives has shown potential in shielding bacteriophages from the challenges encountered within the gastrointestinal tract, such as fluctuating pH levels and the presence of digestive enzymes. Consequently, this study aimed to develop targeted oral delivery systems for bacteriophages, specifically focusing on colon delivery and employing Eudragit® FS30D as the excipient. The bacteriophage model used was LUZ19. An optimized formulation was established to not only preserve the activity of LUZ19 during the manufacturing process but also ensure its protection from highly acidic conditions. Flowability assessments were conducted for both capsule filling and tableting processes. Furthermore, the viability of the bacteriophages remained unaffected by the tableting process. Additionally, the release of LUZ19 from the developed system was evaluated using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®) model. Finally, stability studies demonstrated that the powder remained stable for at least 6 months when stored at +5 °C.

Phenolic compounds in olive leaves have an excellent antioxidant activity and good antimicrobial properties. These bioactive molecules have beneficial properties for health, arousing great scientific and commercial interest. This study reports lyophilized olive leaf extracts (OLE) encapsulated by spray-drying using maltodextrins, maltodextrins–pectin and maltodextrins–gum Arabic as encapsulating agents. Lyophilized OLE were collected from two varieties cultivated in a harsh pedo-climatic conditions of the arid region of Tunisia. The effects of the genetic factor and the different encapsulating agents on the physicochemical properties of microcapsules and their behavior during storage, as well as their antimicrobial activities, were studied. Microcapsules successfully passed heat treatment and storage conditions and their antimicrobial activities were preserved. The encapsulating agent combination improved the encapsulation efficiency and the product yield in Zarrazi variety compared to Dhokar one. In addition, Dhokar variety microparticles showed the best heat stability at 4 and 25 °C after 90 days of storage and the higher inhibition percent against bacteria. The results of the present study evidenced that the best conditions for OLE encapsulation were obtained when the maltodextrins–pectin and maltodextrins–gum Arabic were combined to form a hybrid coating material.

Bioactive peptides derived from enzymatic hydrolysis are gaining attention for the production of supplements, pharmaceutical compounds, and functional foods. However, their inclusion in oral delivery systems is constrained by their high susceptibility to degradation during human gastrointestinal digestion. Encapsulating techniques can be used to stabilize functional ingredients, helping to maintain their activity after processing, storage, and digestion, thus improving their bioaccessibility. Monoaxial spray-drying and electrospraying are common and economical techniques used for the encapsulation of nutrients and bioactive compounds in both the pharmaceutical and food industries. Although less studied, the coaxial configuration of both techniques could potentially improve the stabilization of protein-based bioactives via the formation of shell–core structures. This article reviews the application of these techniques, both monoaxial and coaxial configurations, for the encapsulation of bioactive peptides and protein hydrolysates, focusing on the factors affecting the properties of the encapsulates, such as the formulation of the feed solution, selection of carrier and solvent, as well as the processing conditions used. Furthermore, this review covers the release, retention of bioactivity, and stability of peptide-loaded encapsulates after processing and digestion.

Fourteen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from the intestinal tract and feces of piglets. Among these isolates, only twelve were biochemically (API 50 CHL and ABIS online for bacterial identification) and genetically (16S rRNA sequencing) confirmed as Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Experiments to evaluate the probiotic potential of the isolates including pH tolerance (pH 2.0 and 3.0), bile salts (0.3% ox gall) resistance, hemolysis activity, antibiotic susceptibility, and high-temperature resistance were tested. Only two isolates from identified strains exhibited high survival rates when exposed to low pH and bile salts, these were L. acidophilus IBNA 76 and L. plantarum IBNA 84. The antibiotic test presented 100% resistance of both strains to gentamicin, kanamycin, lincomycin, colistin sulfate, erythromycin, amikacin, oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, streptomycin, and tilmicosin, lower than the 0.6 mm inhibition zone diameter. Promising isolates (L. acidophilus IBNA 76 and L. plantarum IBNA 84) were exposed to the spray-drying technique based on visible probiotic potential and survival rates. Carrier matrix material was used as a maltodextrin-glucose solution. The encapsulation probiotic isolated survived both over 67% and 77%, corresponding to a decrease in strain viability from 109 to 107 CFU/g. After further in vitro evaluations, the findings of this study showed that, from all LAB strains, L. acidophilus IBNA 76 and L. plantarum IBNA 84 may be considered probiotic candidates for animal nutrition and may have promising performance in piglet feed due to their origin of isolation.

Two plant-based emulsifiers, soybean lecithin and pea protein isolate, were studied for their emulsifying and encapsulating capacities of an antimicrobial molecule, trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), at two different pH values, three and seven, and after drying with two different techniques, spray-drying and freeze-drying. To characterize the obtained capsules, various physicochemical tests were conducted to examine particle size, encapsulation efficiency, thermal and moisture stability, and powder morphology. The spray-dried (SD) and freeze-dried (FD) powders had an average particle size of 8.35 µm and 144.49 µm, respectively. The SD powders showed similar encapsulation efficiency (EE) for soybean lecithin and pea protein isolate with an average value of 95.69%. On the other hand, the FD powders had lower EE compared to SD powders, with an average of 58.01% for lecithin-containing powders and 83.93% for pea-protein-containing powders. However, the water content of FD powders (2.83%) was lower than that of SD powders (4.72%). The powders prepared at pH 3 showed better thermal stability. Morphological analysis showed spherical particles for SD powders and irregular shapes for FD powders. Nanoemulsions as well as dried powders showed interesting antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua, confirming their potential use as natural preservatives in foods.