Fabrication and characterization of dihydromyricetin-loaded microcapsules stabilized by glyceryl monostearate and whey protein–xanthan gum

Abstract

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is a lipophilic nutrient with various potential health benefits; however, its poor storage stability and low solubility and bioavailability limit its applications. This study aims to encapsulate DMY in microcapsules by membrane emulsification and freeze-drying methods to overcome these issues. Glyceryl monostearate (GMS, solid lipid) and octyl and decyl glycerate (ODO, liquid lipid) were applied as the inner cores. Whey protein and xanthan gum (XG) were used as wall materials. The prepared microcapsules had an irregular blocky aggregated structure with rough surfaces. All the microcapsules had a DMY loading of 0.85 %–1.1 % and encapsulation efficiency (EE) >85 %. GMS and XG increased the DMY loading and EE. The addition of GMS and an increased XG concentration led to a decrease in the rehydration rate. The in vitro release and digestion studies revealed that GMS and XG controlled the release and digestion of DMY. The chemical stability results indicated that GMS and XG protected DMY against oxidation. An antioxidant capacity study showed that GMS and XG helped DMY in the microcapsules exert antioxidant effects. This research study provides a platform for designing microcapsules with good stability and high bioavailability to deliver lipophilic bioactive compounds.