Microencapsulation of β-Carotene with Vanillic Acid Grafted Chitosan Improves Stability and Glutathione Content in Rats

Abstract

Introduction: The most common cause of Vitamin A deficiency is insufficient intake of Vitamin A and one of the ways to deal with this challenge is using beta-carotene for food fortification. In our study, we addressed the concern of instability in beta-carotene molecules by microencapsulation with vanillic acid grafted chitosan. Methods and Materials: Beta-Carotene was microencapsulated using vanillic acid-grafted chitosan as wall material. Microencapsulation efficiency and morphology were determined. Size and shape of encapsulated beta-carotene particles were determined by a Zetasizer and scanning electron microscope, respectively. Beta-Carotene concentration was determined by HPLC while TBARS and glutathione in serum were assayed by spectrophotometric methods. Results: The particles formed were confirmed to be in the microrange and also were smooth walled spherical units devoid of cracks and pores. Structures of free and encapsulated beta-carotene were compared by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. Encapsulated beta-carotene particles showed better stability to degradation by light and exposure to oxidation. Analysis of beta-carotene in liver, plasma, and urine following 1 week of feeding either free beta-carotene or microencapsulated beta-carotene (mBC) in two groups of rats showed significantly (P less than 0.001) higher content in liver and plasma of mBC-fed rats. While glutathione content was raised significantly in mBC-fed rats, the level of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances was found unchanged between the groups. Conclusions: This is the first instance of a report on microencapsulation of beta-carotene with vannilic acid-grafted chitosan. Structural characterization showed that particles formed were of micro-size range with smooth walls devoid of cracks and pores.