(P09-046-24) Development and Characterization of Tart Cherry Juice Encapsulated Prebiotic Particles

Objectives: Obesity is a complex disease associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and changes in gut microbiota composition. Tart cherry juice (TCJ) is an excellent source of anthocyanins, which can modulate gut microbiota composition, and reduce both inflammation and adiposity. However, anthocyanin rich TCJ has low stability and poor oral bioavailability. To remedy these issues, we propose synthesizing TCJ-encapsulated prebiotic polysaccharide alginate particles (TCJ-Alg) and pectin particles (TCJ-Pec), coated with chitosan, and comparing their characteristics.

Methods: A chitosan solution (1%, w/w) was prepared using 1% (v/v) acetic acid, while alginate (5%, w/w) and pectin (2%, w/w) solutions were dissolved in water. For the TCJ-Alg and TCJ-Pec core solutions, various mass fractions of alginate (1-4%) and pectin (1 and 1.8%) were added to TCJ, then slowly extruded into the collecting solution, under stir agitation. Collected TCJ-Alg and TCJ-Pec contained different concentrations (0-1%) of chitosan with or without 1% calcium chloride (CaCl₂). TCJ retention in hydrogel TCJ-Alg and TCJ-Pec particles during storage on a rocker was evaluated over 4 days, with free TCJ serving as a control. The total polyphenol content was assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay.

Results: We observed that, in TCJ-Alg, there was an increase in the size of spherical hydrogel particles (1.2-2.5mm), encapsulation efficiency (EE, 76-88%), and TCJ retention within the particles with increased chitosan concentration (0-1%). However, varying alginate concentrations did not affect these parameters. In TCJ-Pec, hydrogel particles could only be formed when the chitosan concentration exceeded 0.5%. Additionally, as chitosan concentration increased, the encapsulation efficiency increased from 78% to 90%, along with prolonged TCJ retention time, and enhanced physical stability of TCJ-Pec.

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the protective properties of chitosan in enhancing the stability and bioavailability of TCJ-derived anthocyanin, which may be attributed to interactions between positively charged chitosan and the cation in anthocyanin.

Funding Sources: Funded by USDA 2023-67017-39555