ENCAPSULATION EFFICIENCY AND LOAD CAPACITY OF ANTHOCYANINS OF Vaccinium floribundim Kunt IN ZEIN NANOPARTICLE

Abstract

Zein is a non-polar protein that has a high content of proline and leucine, it can be easily obtained from corn grains and by its composition can form a protein matrix of nanoparticles to encapsulate polar dyes. From decolorized USP zein, nanoparticles were synthesized by the liquid-liquid dispersion method. The synthesis was carried out in 20% ethanol and pH 4, conditions that allow the highest stability of the system. A homogeneous suspension with a particle size of 282,1 nm and a polydispersity of 0.127 corresponding to a surface area of ​​18.82 m2 / g was obtained; it was evidenced that the particles have a spherical shape and do not present porosity. The nanoparticles thus obtained were used to encapsulate anthocyanins extracted from the mortiño fruit (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) using the methods of adsorption and incorporation. It was determined that the adsorption method allows to load 338.24 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside, equivalent to 172.92 g of anthocyanins, per 100 g of nanoparticles, compared with the incorporation method that allowed to encapsulate 72.74 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside, equivalent to 37.19 g of anthocyanins, per 100 g of nanoparticles. The values ​​of the encapsulation efficiency and load capacity allow to establish that the zein has a high potential encapsulant