253: Caramel-Encased Calcium-Naringin Complexes: A Novel Encapsulation Strategy in Functional Food Design

Introduction

Naringin, a flavonoid with potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties, has limited application in functional foods due to its poor solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Encapsulation within caramel, a versatile food ingredient derived from the thermal processing of carbohydrates, offers a promising strategy to overcome these challenges. Leveraging caramel’s structural and functional properties as a carrier, this study employed polymer precipitation technology to encapsulate calcium-naringin complexes within the caramel matrix. The incorporation of calcium salts during this process significantly improved the stability, bioactivity, and bioavailability of naringin, paving the way for its effective use in confectionery, bakery products, and beverages.

Methods

Encapsulation was conducted using caramel and various solvents (ethanol, acetone, isopropanol) and calcium salts (calcium chloride, lactate, carbonate, and sulfite) as aiding agents. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) was measured via HPLC, structural integrity through SEM, antioxidant activity by ABTS radical scavenging assay, and bioavailability using a cell culture assay.

Results

The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of calcium-naringin complexes was significantly influenced by the solvent used, with isopropanol achieving the highest EE of 81 ± 4.3%. Calcium chloride emerged as the most effective agent, demonstrating superior phenolic retention and encapsulation efficiency by forming stable complexes with naringin. Notably, samples prepared with calcium chloride and acetone exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with a maximum inhibition capacity of 93 ± 0.45%. In comparison, calcium sulfite showed no measurable improvement in antioxidant activity, highlighting the critical role of calcium salt selection in optimizing the bioactivity of encapsulated naringin. Structural analysis through FTIR confirmed the successful formation of metal-naringin complexes, while SEM imaging revealed compact and uniform encapsulates, highlighting the effectiveness of the encapsulation process.

Significance

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of caramel as a carrier for encapsulating bioactive compounds, emphasizing the role of calcium-naringin complexes in improving stability and bioavailability. Compared to other transition metal-phenolic complexes, calcium’s biocompatibility and physiological relevance provide superior suitability for food applications. These findings support the integration of bioactive caramel into diverse food formulations, aligning with consumer demand for functional foods offering enhanced health benefits and bioactive delivery.

Authors: Athulya Sojan,Idaresit Ekaette