Encapsulation by Ionic Gelation: The Influence of the Coating on the Encapsulation Efficiency of Merlot Grape Pomace Extract

U radu je dan pregled najčešće korištenih omotača i metoda za inkapsulaciju bioaktivnih tvari s naglaskom na metodu ionskog geliranja. U eksperimentalnom dijelu rada cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati utjecaj različitih omotača prirodnog porijekla i njihovih kombinacija: natrijev alginat, natrijev alginat i želatina, natrijev alginat i guma arabika te natrijev alginat i kitozan na učinkovitost inkapsulacije ekstrakta tropa grožđa sorte merlot, bogatog fenolnim spojevima. Trop grožđa je nusproizvod vinarija organskog porijekla koji obiluje fenolnim spojevima koji imaju potencijalno pozitivne učinke na ljudsko zdravlje, ali se nedovoljno iskorištava u te svrhe. Fenolni spojevi privlače sve više pažnje zbog svojih antioksidacijskih, protuupalnih, antimikrobnih i antikancerogenih svojstava. Stoga se sve više istražuju metode za očuvanje ovih spojeva, poput inkapsulacije, koja ih štiti od degradacije s obzirom da su fenolni spojevi izrazito nestabilni i osjetljivi na uvjete okoline (temperatura, kisik, svjetlost). Odabir odgovarajućeg omotača igra ključnu ulogu u procesu inkapsulacije, jer utječe na učinkovitost zaštite aktivne tvari koja se inkapsulira, u ovom slučaju fenolnih spojeva. U ovom radu najveća učinkovitost inkapsulacije ostvarena je pomoću kombinacije omotača 3 %-tnog natrijevog alginata i 5 %-tne želatine te je iznosila 64,63 %.The paper provides an overview of the most commonly used coating materials and methods for encapsulating bioactive compounds, with a focus on ionic gelation. The aim of research was to investigate the impact of different natural coating materials and their combinations: sodium alginate, sodium alginate and gelatin, sodium alginate and gum Arabic, and sodium alginate and chitosan on the encapsulation efficiency of extract from Merlot variety grape pomace, rich in phenolic compounds. Grape pomace, winemaking by-products, is organic waste abundant in phenolic compounds with potential health benefits. Phenolic compounds from grape pomace are gaining increasing attention due to their antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Therefore, preservation methods like encapsulation, are being increasingly explored, as they protect these compounds from degradation since phenolic compounds are highly unstable and sensitive to the environmental conditions (temperature, oxygen, and light). The selection of the appropriate coating material plays a crucial role in the encapsulation process as it affects the encapsulation efficiency of encapsulated bioactive compounds, in this case phenolic compounds. In this study, the highest encapsulation efficiency was achieved using a combination of 3% sodium alginate with 5% gelatin, resulting in 64.63% encapsulation efficiency