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Understanding food structure in developing food products for improving component functionality, human nutrition and public health
Tawheed Amin, Pre Doctoral Student, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science & Technology
With every passing day, consciousness among consumers regarding their health is increasing. Consumers demand food products, which are wholesome, nutritious, good tasting, and processed in such a way so that the functionality and bioavailability of their bioactive components are retained to the maximum. The food industry is responding to this demand from time to time by developing functional food products. It has been seen that the bioactive components of such functional foods are losing their functionality and ingredient bioavailability, thus may deprive consumers of the added health benefits, which a food processor is claiming. This loss in functionality and bioavailability is attributed to the impact of food structure and the interaction among different food components on bioactive components. It is, therefore, important to understand and change food structure and the interactions among different food components within a food matrix. Thus, to get more health benefits from functional food products, it is of utmost importance to study the effect of food structure on functionality and bioavailability of bioactive components. This will also help to develop a personalized diet to get more added health benefits. The present review will open up an avenue for the development of functional foods with the improved bioavailability of bioactive components.
Microencapsulation of Curcumin
Saurabh Patel, PhD Scholar, National Dairy Research Institute
Bioactive compounds are minor constituents that occur in food and have several health benefits. Curcumin, a yellow pigment and a major active ingredient, is a polyphenol compound that is isolated from turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcumin has several health benefits like anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Researchers have reported that curcumin has low oral bioavailability, solubility and stability and these issues pose to be a major challenge in developing various functional formulations. Several encapsulation techniques such as microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation, liposomes, niosomes, complexation with phospholipids and cyclodextrins and solid dispersions have been developed by various researchers to improve the bioavailability of bioactives. Microencapsulation is the entrapment of tiny particles within a layer of outer coating or within a matrix. They have a particle size of less than 1000 µm. It creates a hurdle between the core compound and the other components which will help in control release of core material and also protect it from environment. Spray drying and coacervation are the most common and inexpensive method of microencapsulation. The wall materials could be special starches, maltodextrins, gums, whey proteins, etc. Researchers have reported that microencapsulation improved the bioavailability, stability and solubility of curcumin and bioactives by many folds. Microencapsulation also helps to formulate various functional foods that give balanced nutrition to consumers with several health and therapeutic benefits.
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