Microencapsulation of phytoseterols as nutraceuticals: improving the spray drying.

DIBATTISTA, C.A.; TRAPÉ, D.; CONSTENLA, D.; RAMIREZ RIGO, M.V.; PIÑA, J.

Cordoba

Congreso; 3º Reunión Internacional de Ciencias farmaceuticas RICIFA 2014; 2014

UNC

Microencapsulation of phytosterols as nutraceuticals: Improving the spray drying yield Keywords: microencapsulation, phytosterols, process yield, spray drying. Coronary heart disease is one of the major public health problems. The daily intake of phytosterols helps to reduce levels of seric cholesterol and, then, to improve the coronary health. However, they are only found in vegetables in lesser quantities than required and their inclusion in processed foods is limited by their waxy nature, water insolubility and high melting point. To overcome these problems, their microencapsulation by spray drying in arabic gum/maltodextrin/sodium lauryl sulphate matrices was proposed. The process yield determines the spray drying economic feasibility, being one of the most important process parameter to be considered. In particular, the aim of this work is to analyze the influence of formulation variables and operating conditions on the spray drying yield for the microencapsulation of phytosterols in order to identify the optimal set. In this context, 54 experimental runs were performed in a Büchi B-290 lab-scale spray dryer following a Box-Behnken statistical design. Six factors were evaluated at 3 levels: drying temperature (110-130-160ºC), atomization rate (30-45-60 mm), feed flow rate (5-10-15%), phytosterols feed content (2-5-8 g/100mL), solids feed content (15-25-35 g/100mL), arabic gum/maltodextrin mass ratio (1:19-9.5:1-19:1) for a fixed content of sodium lauryl sulphate (2 g/100mL). As a result of the design, yields of 26.5 to 86.7% were obtained, which decrease as the phytosterols and total solids feed contents and the feed flow rate increase. In the other hand, a second order model with a good adjustment of experimental data (R2= 90.97%) was derived; except for the drying temperature, all the factors were found to have a significant effect on the process yield. According to this model, a maximum yield of 92.37% is predicted and would be checked at 50.7 mm atomization rate, 2 g/100mL of phytosterols, 5% feed flow rate, 15 g/100mL of total solids and 1:19 arabic gum/maltodextrin mass ratio.