Blend of renewable bio-based polymers for oil encapsulation: Control of the emulsion stability and scaffolds of the microcapsule by the gummy exudate of Prosopis nigra

MORALES, ANDRÉS H.; ALANÍS, ANA F.; JAIME, GLORIA S.; LAMAS, DANIELA L.; GÓMEZ, MARÍA I.; MARTÍNEZ, M. ALEJANDRA; ROMERO, CINTIA M.

EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2020 vol. 140

0014-3057

Thiswork concern with the use of a novel mesquite gum as a biopolymer alternativein desert areas of northern Argentina. The species collected was taxonomicallyidentified as Prosopis nigra based onmorphological/histological characteristics. Its gummy exudate was partiallypurified (PN-biopolymer) showed antioxidant activity and good emulsifyingproperties. The emulsions showed EI24 valuesgreater than 0.50 even after a thermal shock with a relatively high oil volumefraction of 50%. pH-stability tests showed a correlation between fatty acidunsaturations and droplet size distribution. Then, the use ofPN-biopolymer-alginate blend was evaluated for fish oil encapsulation. Anexternal gelation process was optimized showed a significant dependence of theresponses evaluated (EI24 and sphericity factor) towards theinteraction between both polymers and the water/oil ratio.ThePN-biopolymer played a key role in the orderly alginate crosslinking by controlemulsion stability.