Encapsulation of jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) peel extract with whey or pea protein in combination with gum arabic enhances anthocyanin bioaccessibility and metabolite production

Abstract

Encapsulation of jabuticaba peel extract with whey (WP) or pea protein (PP) and gum arabic (GA) was evaluated as a strategy to enhance anthocyanin stability, bioaccessibility, and metabolite production. Two protein-to-GA volume ratios (2:1 and 1:2) were studied, and all encapsulates demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency (>90 %). ATR-FTIR and zeta potential analyses confirmed cross-linking between biopolymers and the extract. Encapsulation reduced anthocyanin degradation during in vitro digestion, increasing intestinal bioaccessibility by up to 33 %. Ex vivo human fecal fermentations showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside from the encapsulates reached the colonic phase at concentrations up to 18-fold higher than the unencapsulated extract, enhancing microbial metabolism and increasing the production of phenolic metabolites and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Cyanidin-3-glucoside showed greater antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in HT29-MTX cells than its metabolites. These findings highlight the combination of WP or PP with GA as a promising food-grade carrier for anthocyanins, with potential applications in functional foods.

Keywords: Coacervation; Controlled release; Cyanidin-3-glucoside; Ex vivo human fecal fermentation; In vitro digestion; Short-chain fatty acids.