Preparation Of Lycopene Nano-capsule Via Complex Coacervation

In recent years, many studies have shown that the antioxidant capacity of lycopene canresist cancer, strengthen the body’s immunity, and prevent aging and so on. The westerncountries named lycopene as the gold hidden in tomato. Lycopene is insoluble in water and itsstability can be easily affected by factors such as light, temperature, pH, these factors limit theapplication range of lycopene. In this paper, taking advantage of complex coacervationreaction between gelatin and gum Arabic, lycopene could be nano-encapsulated; theformation of hydrophobic core material delivery systems could improve lycopene on theability of stability, solubility and bioavailability.First, the facters affecting complex coacervation reaction between wall materials wereevaluated by studying the effect of the gelatin-gum arabic mixing ratios, NaCl andcarbamide concentration and different pH environment. Results showed that pH, mixing ratio,ionic strength and hydrophobic interaction were important factors in complex coacervationreaction. The mixture ratio1:1and pH4.95were chosen as the best condition for thenano-capsule preparation.Second, the stability of lycopene in different solvent and different pH environment wastested. The sunflower seed oil was confirmed as the core material solvent. Based on theindicaters just as average particle size, Zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, PDI andstorage stability, the optimum conditions were selected as follows: gelatin and gum Arabictotal concentration0.5%; sunflower seed oil concentration0.5%(with lycopene15mg/mL);Tween80and Span80total concentration0.5%, mixture ratio1:1; TGase concentration0.25%. Under the optimum conditions, the average particle size reached to139.2nm and PDIis0.157. After the storage of25days, the retention rates of lycopene were closed to80%. Theinfrared spectrum, X-ray diffraction pattern and fluorescence spectrum analysis showed that:the system of gelatin-gum Arabic did not generate new chemical bonds in the process ofcomplex coacervation reaction, the main forces were electrostatic interaction and hydrophobicinteractions. Moreover, lycopene’s characteristic peaks were concealed in nano-capsules’infrared spectrum and X-ray diffraction pattern which meant that lycopene was embeddingeffectively. Fluorescence spectrum proved core material triggered the fluorescence quenchingphenomenon, this could explain the core material interact with wall material by hydrophobiceffect.Finally, the control release of nano-capsules on vitro and the storage stability againstlight, oxygen, temperature, food preservatives were evaluated. Vitro release experimentresults proved that the nano-capsules system improved the solubility and bioavailability oflycopene. Within4h, the cumulative released quantity of embedded lycopene was18%in simulated gastric fluid, while the unembedded control was82%. The vitro biologicalutilization of embedded lycopene was72.5%. The negative influences on stability of lycopenefrom light, oxygen and temperature were effectively surppressed through the formation ofnanocomplex. Food preservatives had no negative effect on retention of lycopene.