Encapsulation of pink pepper extract by SEDS technique: Phase behavior data and process parameters

Abstract

Pink pepper presents nutritional importance and properties such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. To protect these beneficial characteristics, the plant extracts can be encapsulated, where system phase equilibrium behavior for carbon dioxide, dichloromethane (DCM) and pink pepper extract (PPE) was investigated to establish optimal encapsulation conditions by SEDS, using PHBV as encapsulating agent. Static synthetic method was applied for phase equilibrium data at 308.15, 318.15 and 328.15 K. Liquid-vapor phase transitions were observed. Encapsulation conditions were: 308.15, 318.15 and 328.15 K, pressures of 8.0, 9.0 and 12.5 MPa and CO2 mass fraction of 93.5 %, leading to microparticles formation with spherical shape and average diameter from 0.39 ± 0.08 μm to 25.4 ± 5.4 μm. Encapsulation efficiency ranged from 20.2 %–95.1 %, depending on the operating conditions. Results obtained in this work are promising and suggest the importance of this raw material for potential use in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industry.