Microencapsulation of Ferulic Acid in Nopal Mucilage by Spray Drying Method

Ferulic acid, that is one of the hydroxybenzoic acids and a phenolic compound, is encapsulated in nopal mucilage. It is beneficial for human body and prevents from cell aging, carcinogenic effects of free radicals. Torres et al. found that this mucilage is promising for encapsulating active ingredients (2012). 

Nopal mucilage is composed of pectic polysaccharides (Amin, Awad, & El-Sayed, 1970). It is yielded from peeled fruits of O. ficus indica plant. Phenolic compounds are very sensitive to heat and light. And also most of them may cause bitter taste. In order to protect against light, pH, heat; and increase its bioavailability, ferulic acid is encapsulated (Munin & Edwards-Lévy, 2011). 

Comparison of Solanine Production Rate at Different Conditions

The purpose of this experiment is determining the best storage conditions for potatoes for a specific time period. Colorimeter was used to make comparison between surface colors of potatoes.

Solanine is a gylcoalkoloid molecule. Mostly found in nightshade family in nature. It provides protection to wounded organs of plants against microorganisms (Eie & Larsen, 2012). It’s an important molecule due to its undesirable significant effects on humans.

Blanching

Enzymes may have undesirable or desirable effects on the quality of fruits and vegetables such as the oxidation of phenolic substances, post-harvest senescence, , starch-sugar conversion, post-harvest demethylation of pectic substances leading to softening of plant tissues during ripening. The major factors useful in controlling enzyme activities are temperature, water activity, pH and the use of chemicals during processing. Blanching is one of the effective ways to control enzyme activity. 

Diffusivity

Diffusivity or diffusion coefficient is proportionality constant between the molar flux due to molecular diffusion and the gradient in the concentration of the species (or the driving force for diffusion). Diffusivity is encountered in Fick's law and numerous other equations of physical chemistry.

Gelatinization and Retrogradation

Starch is a polysaccharide which means containing large number of glucose units bind by glycosidic bond. Starch is mostly found in plant tissue in tubers and endosperm of seeds. Starch consists of two types of glucose polymer which are amylose and amylopectin. While amylose is a linear glucan with α[1,4] glycosidic linkages, amylopectin is highly branched glucan with α[1,4] and α[1,6] linkages. They occur together in granules but amylase may be separated from solutions because it is less soluble in organic solvents. Most starches contain 20-25% amylose.