Microencapsulation in milk

Functional foods can potentially play a key role in preventing health risks associated with eating habits. The development of healthy foods through the addition of bioactive compounds poses many technical challenges. These substances cannot tolerate the conditions of the stomach and in most cases are unable to reach the site of absorption. Microcapsulation has created new opportunities that could revolutionize the food and dairy industry. Microencapsulation greatly helps to improve the transport of bioactive compounds by reducing particle size and increasing surface area by volume. Microcapsulation is a useful tool for improving the transport of bioactive compounds in foods, especially probiotics, minerals, vitamins, lutein, fatty acids, lycopene and antioxidants, peptides, phytosterols, polyphenols, bioflavonoids and fibroids. Future research is likely to focus on the transfer and potential use of common encapsulation methods, in which two or more bioactive substances can be combined for a synergistic effect. In this article are discussed some aspects related to encapsulation methods, coatings, bioactive compounds and their use in food processing, especially dairy products. Future research is likely to focus on aspects of delivery and the potential use of co-encapsulation methodologies, where two or more bioactive ingredients can be combined to have a synergistic effect.