Encapsulation of Polyphenols from Murraya Koenigii by Using Two Different Polymer Matrices

Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites that have recently gained attention for their several therapeutic properties. Nevertheless, they are unstable and hence prone to oxidation under light, heat, pH and low bioavailability once ingested which limits their applications. Effective encapsulation techniques have been implemented to overcome these drawbacks and mask the unpleasant flavor and odor also. Delivery systems with natural biopolymers have attracted attention for applications in food and pharmaceuticals. In this study, microspheres of Murraya koenigii polyphenols were synthesized through the extrusion method using two different polymer matrices, alginate and caseinate. The effect of encapsulation on their antioxidant activity and stability was studied for a six-month period. Further, they were evaluated for their size, stability, yield and surface morphology by using SEM and FTIR. In addition, the effects of different temperatures at different time intervals on the release of polyphenols were also studied. The results showed that the caseinate matrix was more effective in the encapsulation process of polyphenols at 80 °C at 7th h than the alginate matrix, and additionally, the polyphenols were maintained from degradation over a six-month period. In addition, the antioxidant property was retained better after encapsulation. Overall, the findings showed that the caseinate matrix was more effective than the alginate in improving the stability of polyphenols encapsulated from Murraya koenigii leaves and could be used as a potential technology for drug delivery techniques in the food industry/ nutraceuticals.