Microencapsulation of Q10 by complex coacervation method

CoQ10 is a lipophylic natural antioxidant with fundamental role in mitochondria bioenergetics. The positive effect of CoQ10 in therapy of many diseases is due to its antioxidant and bioenergetics properties. Reduction of endogenous synthesis of CoQ10 by the ageing, insufficient amount in the food and several health benefits of CoQ10 have led to food fortification. The objective of this study was to microencapsulate CoQ10 by complex coacervation method and determinate of optimum mixture component (β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), Arabic Gum (AG), Oil containing CoQ10 and water) to achieve maximum value of microencapsulation efficiency (ME) and payload. Due to temperature sensitive characteristic of CoQ10, Gelatin was replaced with β-lg and combination of β-lg and AG were used to microencapsulation of Oil containing CoQ10.

At first CoQ10 powder and olive oil were poured in opaque tube and stirred in incubator shaker for 24h. Then solutions of β-lg and GA were prepared at 1-4% (w/w), by dispersing the required amount of them in deionized water and microcapsules were formed by adding oil phase containing CoQ10 to the β-lg solution and preparation of emulsion, adding the GA solution and adjusting pH to 4. After separation of microcapsules freeze dryer was used to dehydration of them, and Morphology of CoQ10 microcapsules was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope. The particle size and the particle size distribution of moist microcapsules were determined using a particle size analyzer. In the next stage it was used from n-hexane to extracting oil and extracted oil was dissolved in 1,4-dioxane and analyzed by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system, and microencapsulation efficiency was calculated for microcapsules before and after freeze drying. At the end the effect of oven drying and defrost on microencapsulation efficiency was studied for 5 formulations.

ME values before drying for all formulations except one sample (containing: 4%β-lg, 4%AG, 5%Oil and 87% water) were in the range of 94.05-99.01%. Variation in ME and payload values after freeze drying was in the range of 34.91-92.45 and 24.78-83.75%, respectively and sample containing 2.5% (w/w) β-lg and 2.5% (w/w) AG and 5 % (w/w) oil obtained the highest ME value, an homogeneous particle size distribution and had a smooth and free of pores surface.

Based on the results, formulation containing 2.5% (w/w) β-lg and AG and 5 % (w/w) oil can be successfully used to microencapsulation of CoQ10