Microencapsulation as one of the most modern methods has considerable effects on probiotic survival. In this study Lactobacillus casei (ATCC 39392) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (ATCC 29521) were encapsulated using calcium alginate-gelatinized starch, chitosan coating and inulin via emulsion technique, and were incubated in simulated gastric juice (along with pepsin, pH=1.5) and simulated intestinal juice (along with pancreatin and bile salts, pH = 8) for 2 hours at 37 (o)C. The morphology and size of microcapsules were measured by scanning electron and optical microscopy. The results indicated that the survival of microencapsulated probiotic increased significantly in simulated gastro-intestinal condition (P < 0.05). Chitosan coating played a significant role in the protection of probiotic bacteria in simulated gastro-intestinal condition and the diameter of the microcapsules increased with the addition of chitosan coating. In general, this study indicated that microencapsulation ...

Encapsulating properties of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) for the coating of the essential oil (EO) of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and aroma extracts (AE) of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus G.) and sweet marjoram (Majorana hortensis L.) by spray-drying were evaluated. The efficiency of microencapsulation expressed as a percentage of flavoring entrapped into the microcapsules varied from 54.3% (marjoram in WPC) to 80.2% (oregano in SMP). The content of flavoring remaining on the surface of encapsulated oregano EO was remarkably lower (1.1% and 1.4%) as compared with citronella (11.2% and 15.2%) and marjoram (16.7% and 22.1%) AEs encapsulated in SMP and WPC matrixes, respectively. Consequently, the changes in the composition of individual flavor compounds during encapsulation were considerably smaller for oregano EO as compared with citronella and marjoram AEs. The release of aroma compounds from the encapsulated products was assessed by solid phase microextraction (SPME) of headspace volatiles and their analysis by gas chromatography; some differences were observed between the analysed products. However, the effect of SPME fiber polarity was another important factor affecting the amount of extracted aroma compounds from encapsulated flavors. The percentages of nonpolar aliphatic terpenes were higher in the extracts obtained by nonpolar polydimethylsiloxane or bipolar polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene fibers, while the content of oxygenated constituents in most cases was higher on the polar polyacrylate fiber. The latter extracted lower amounts of volatiles during 10 min exposure. The scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis revealed that microcapsules were well-formed spherically shaped particles; however, SMP coated products had smoother surface as compared to WPC, containing more dents and wrinkles on the capsule surface. Particle size varied from 6 to 280 lm for SMP and from 2 to 556 lm for WPC microencapsulated products.

T h e use of natural pigments such as lobster carotenoids in fish feed formulations offers advantages over the use of the synthetic alternatives. Microencapsulation of the pigments, with or without the addition of antioxidants to the formulation, may be of benefit in terms of stabilizing pigment colour. In the present study, lobster carotenoids were extracted from lobster shell into petroleum ether and microencapsulated by phase separation and salt coacervation within poly(viny1 alcohol) and poly(viny1 alocohol)/poly( D,L-lactic acid) membranes. Spherical microcapsules, with smooth, thin and resilient membranes were obtained with mean diameters ranging from 50 to 150pm, depending on the membrane material, and source of pigment. The microcapsules were pink-orange in colour, and colour stability was followed spectrophotometrically. Enhanced stability was observed in both membrane materials, in comparison to the non-encapsulated control. Rates of discoloration were determined under a variety of storage conditions, including the absence of light, reduced temperatures and under nitrogen atmosphere. T h e best stability of lobster carotenoids was observed under a nitrogen atmosphere within PVA/PLA membranes, representing an 11-fold enhancement of pigment stability in comparison to the controls. Under ambient conditions, the enhancement in pigment stability was approximately 6-fold. The optimum concentration of PVA during microencapsulation was 3-4%, and the microencapsulated pigments appeared most stable under acidic conditions. T h e rate of discoloration appeared independent of pigment concentration.

An effect of the ionic strength during the formation of binary alginate/oligochitosan capsules on their properties has been investigated. The increase of sodium chloride concentration leads to the significant decrease of the mechanical resistance and to the increase of the membrane porosity. The pronounced changes of both properties were observed in the same low ionic strength region up to 0.03 M salt concentration. The capsule formation monitoring results indicate a selectivity of the reaction with respect to the length of oligochitosan chains where with increase of the ionic strength, the continuous shift of the complexed oligocations into the direction of higher molar masses was observed. The volumetric extension of the polyanion chains in solution of reduced ionic strength causes more uniform distribution of the chains within the droplet and as the result leads to more homogenous membrane of higher mechanical resistance.

We present theoretical and experimental investigations of threeterminal nanoelectromechanical relays based on suspended carbon nanotubes. A charge is induced in the nanotube by applying a voltage to an underlying gate electrode thus inducing the nanotube to bend and make contact with a drain electrode. Such devices have potential applications as fast switches, logic devices, memory elements and pulse generators. We describe two modes of operation: a contact mode where the nanotube makes physical contact with the drain electrode and a non-contact mode where electrical contact between the nanotube and the drain electrode is made via a field emission current.

Two types of microparticles with a double layered shell containing an acid dye were prepared by using a melt dispersion-coacervation process. The surface morphology and the composition of the microcapsules were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) respectively. The results showed that the loading content and morphologies strongly depend on the composition, the protective colloid, as well as on the outer polymeric shell and the way the solvent solubilizes it. The thermo-physical properties strongly depend on the nature of the core content and the synthesis conditions. Factors affecting the release performance of the microcapsules were investigated and the results are presented in this paper.

With a shell of PVA-melamine-formaldehyde resin, microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate (VMFAPP) is prepared by in situ polymerization and characterized by FTIR and XPS. Microencapsulation gives VMFAPP better water resistance and flame retardance compared with APP in PP. Thermal stability and fire resistance behavior have been analyzed and compared. The LOI value of the PP/VMFAPP composite is higher than that of the PP/APP composite. The UL 94 ratings of most of the PP/VMFAPP composites are V-0, whereas PP/APP gives no rating at the 30% additive level. The water resistant properties of the PP composites are studied. Results of the cone calorimeter experiment show that VMFAPP is an effective flame retardant in PP compared with APP. The thermal degradation behaviors of APP and VMFAPP have been studied using TG and dynamic FTIR.

We describe a novel method to fabricate pH-responsive microparticles suitable for oral delivery using an aqueous-based spray-drying approach. The approach involves the neutralization and generation of water-soluble salt forms of enteric polymers. The methacrylic acid polymers (Eudragit L and Eudragit S) were added separately to aqueous solutions of ammonium hydrogen carbonate; the solutions were then spray-dried. FTIR analysis of the harvested microparticle products identified the presence of ammonium methacrylate with the appearance of a peak at 1550 cm À1 corresponding to the stretching of the N-H bond. Incubating the microparticles for three hours at 70°C and 130°C for the Eudragit S and L products, respectively, was sufficient to eradicate the ammonium residues. The microparticles, loaded with the model drug prednisolone, were spherical and small in size (2-5 lm). Moreover, the particles were gastro-resistant, and release was rapid and complete at small intestinal conditions. The pH threshold of release of the Eudragit S and Eudragit L microparticles was lowered from 7 and 6 to 6.5 and 5.5, respectively. In bicarbonate media, which are physiological and representative of the conditions of the proximal small intestine (mHanks) and the distal small intestine (Kreb's), drug release from these spray-dried microparticles was faster compared to microparticles produced from conventional emulsion solvent evaporation methods. This new microparticle preparation concept obviates the need for organic solvents and utilizes spray-drying techniques that are amenable to industrial application; the approach therefore offers economic, safety, and environmental benefits.

Melamine formaldehyde microcapsules containing paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) were synthesized. Free space was generated in-situ inside microcapsules. These were characterized by FTIR Spectrophotometer, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Differential Scanning colorimeter (DSC), and optical microscope. It was confirmed that PCM was successfully encapsulated inside the shell material. Encapsulated PCM showed good phase change properties during heating and cooling. Enthalpy value of about 100 J/g was observed. The shape of the microcapsule, showing rough morphology is expected to help during processing and crystallization. It has been experimentally confirmed that no leakage occurs during the melting of PCM. Effectiveness in temperature control in a hot environment was also found to be satisfactory.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of maltodextrin with different wall materials (WPC/whey protein concentrate and Hi-Cap/modified starch) at different concentrations, on the microencapsulation of flaxseed oil by spray drying, in order to maximize encapsulation efficiency. The stability of emulsions was affected by the type and proportion of the wall materials, and the emulsions prepared with Hi-Cap and maltodextrin were highly stable in all proportions used. For the maltodextrin and Hi-Cap combinations studied, oil droplet size increased with the increase on maltodextrin proportion, but for the maltodextrin and WPC combination the opposite was observed. For both combinations of wall material studied, emulsions viscosity decreased with the increase on maltodextrin content. The type of wall material had significant influence on the encapsulation efficiency of flaxseed oil, since the emulsions prepared with Hi-Cap resulted in higher encapsulation efficiency than those prepared with WPC. The increase on maltodextrin content, when combined to Hi-Cap, led to lower encapsulation efficiency. However, when combined to WPC, higher maltodextrin concentrations led to better results. This work showed that the type and proportion of wall materials have significant influence on the emulsion properties and on the encapsulation efficiency of flaxseed oil.

The present work describes a water/oil emulsion technique for the production of microspheres by cross-linking soluble starch with epichlorohyrin, which is a very e cient divalent cross-linking agent for starch. Because they are important features for potential applications, such as pulmonary administration, special attention has been paid to control the mean particle size and size distribution. Microspheres ranging from 0.3±250 mm with narrow size distributions could be obtained. Due to the strongly basic nature of the aqueous phase, no stable emulsions could be obtained in the water/oil emulsion domains. In this context, the stirring rate during the emulsi®cation step was crucial for controlling the particle size. Additionally, a high organic-to-aqueous phase ratio and the presence of a surfactant agent helped to prevent the coalescence of the droplets during the formation of the microspheres. The process was not sensitive to modi®cations of the chemical conditions, such as the cross-linking ratio, which allows variation of the chemical nature of the polymer forming the core of the microspheres without modifying their morphological characteristics.

The plant gums obtained from Prunus armeniaca and Prunus domestica (Family Rosaceae) were studied for their sustained release potential in comparison with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), a semi-synthetic matrix polymer, using diclofenac sodium. Matrix tablets of diclofenac sodium were prepared using different ratios of gum alone and in combination (i.e. 1:1) with diclofenac sodium and other excipients. The formulated matrix tablets were evaluated for their thickness, hardness, weight variation, friability, drug content and in vitro release studies. These studies demonstrated that P. armeniaca and P. domestica gums used alone could not control drug release efficiently, however, extended drug release (up to 10 hours) was obtained when both gums were used in combination (1:1). The dissolution data was fitted into zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer equation, which dictated that the release mechanism is diffusion as well as erosion controlled-drug release. FTIR studies showed that there was no interaction between drug and plant gums used. Among various formulated batches, F-5 did not significantly differ from F-7 and commercially available formulation (Voltral SR ® , Novartis Pharma, Pakistan) with respect to drug release.

The probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus PTCC1643 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus PTCC1637, were encapsulated into uncoated calcium alginate beads and the same beads were coated with one or two layers of sodium alginate with the objective of enhancing survival during exposure to the adverse conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract. The survivability of the strains, was expressed as the destructive value (decimal reduction time). Particle size distribution was measured using laser diffraction technique. The thickness of the alginate beads increased with the addition of coating layers. No differences were detectable in the bead appearance by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The alginate coat prevented acid-induced reduction of the strains in simulated gastric juice (pH 1.5, 2 h), resulting in significantly (P < 0.05) higher numbers of survivors. After incubation in simulated gastric (60 min) and intestinal juices (pH 7.25, 2 h), number of surviving cells were 6.5 log cfu mL À1 for L. acidophilus and 7.6 log cfu mL À1 for L. rhamnosus by double layer coated alginate microspheres, respectively, while 2.3 and 2.0 log cfu mL À1 were obtained for free cells, respectively.

Essential oils (EOs) are the volatile lipophilic components extracted from plants. Many EOs have demonstrated strong
antimicrobial properties when tested in in vitro experiments. The commercial applications of these EOs require a suit-
able formulation constituted by biodegradable compounds that protect them from degradation and evaporation at the
same time that allows for a sustained release. The objective of this study was therefore to reduce the rate of evaporation
of the oil via microencapsulation. Alginate microspheres (AMSs) were prepared using emulsion extrusion method. The
AMSs were hardened with a cross-linking agent, calcium chloride. The effects of the three variables: alginate concen-
tration (0.5% - 8%), the amount of cross-linking agent (0.125% - 2%) and time of cross-linking (5 - 30 min.) on loading
capacity and encapsulation efficiency (EE, %) were studied. The effect of the amount of cross-linker was significant on
loading capacity (%) and EE (%). The AMSs under the optimized conditions provided loading capacity of 22% - 24%
and EE of 90% - 94% based on type of EO. The antifungal activity of vapors of microencapsulated and non-microen-
capsulated oils were evaluated against two of pathogenic fungi species for stored grains: Aspergillus niger and Fusa-
rium verticillioides. The optimized MSs were observed to have a sustained in vitro release profile (50% of the antifun-
gal activity was maintained at the 8th day of the study). In conclusion, encapsulation in Ca-alginate microspheres may
effectively reduce the evaporation rate of essential oils, thus increase the potential antifungal activity.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 374 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes. These people usually have to resort to supplements of insulin they must be administered on a regular basis. Tissue engineering provides a new approach to solving health problems, including diabetes. However, there are several considerations to take into account. Before addressing these considerations, it is necessary to have a basic knowledge about the structure and functioning of the organ responsible for regulating blood glucose; pancreas.

This knowledge will include a review of the anatomy and histology of the pancreas to understand how the tissue is organized. It will also include a brief development on their physiology, to better understand how it performs its function. Finally, the pathologies related to an altered function of this gland will be named.

The first consideration is the origin of these cells. Due to the lack of human donors, it has resorted to other ways of obtaining cells capable of secreting insulin. One way is to extract them from other mammals with similar human characteristic (such as pigs). Other alternatives are the use of pluripotent stem cells or implantation of insulin secretion-related genes by gene therapy in other body cells.

In addition to the source of the cells, it is also important to consider the response the body develops in the presence of foreign bodies. This encourages the development of protection and support structures to allow implementation of certain cells form and that they can perform their functions normally for long periods of time. You are structure are known as capsules and fall into two broad categories: macrocapsules and microcapsules. Today the main developments in this area focus on the creation of microcapsules because of the advantages they present.

The last consideration to be addressed in this paper is about that proper implementation of these cells, considering the optimal site of implantation for the best answer. methods are also considered for such implementation. Finally, it is important to analyze how the body responds to the implants to know the possible effects these have on the body.

The realization of this work allowed to better know the terminology and symbols on the subject, as well as technical issues to consider, for easier use in future works related to the topic.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of whey protein isolate (WPI) and inulin blends on the properties of rosemary essential oil microencapsulated by spray drying. The following ratios (w/w) of WPI to inulin were evaluated: 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1. Increasing the WPI concentration increased the particle instantanisation times and decreased the moisture content. The samples did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) in hygroscopicity and porosity. The microcapsules produced at higher inulin concentration showed the highest bulk density and tapped density and were significantly different from other treatments. WPI/inulin blends of 1:1 and 3:1 proved to be effective carriers to entrap rosemary essential oil. The encapsulated oil composition in particles proved to be quite similar to pure oil, and no interaction between wall matrix and encapsulated oil was demonstrated. The analysis of particle size distribution revealed that the particle size varied from 11.5 to 11.9 lm and that all samples had an amorphous structure.

The present study dealt with emulsive fabrication of chitosan microcapsules encapsulating essential oils in the present of bio/surfactant. The size distribution, morphology and stability of microcapsules were examined by using advanced surface characterisation techniques. At cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) concentration of 330 mg/L, the smallest average size of microcapsules was observed as12.8 mm; whereas with biosurfactant at 50 mg/L, the microcapsules of smallest average size of 7.5 mm were observed. The fabricated microcapsules were applied on a desized, bleached and mercerised cotton fabric by using pad-dry-cure method by using a modified dihydroxy ethylene urea as a cross-linking agent. The cross-linking was confirmed by using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. The antibacterial activity of finished fabric was evaluated using the turbidity estimation method. The stiffness and wrinkle recovery properties of the treated fabric were also investigated by using the standard methods. In general, antibacterial activity of treated fabric increased with the increase in chitosan and essential oil concentrations, whereas stiffness increased with increase in concentration of chitosan but decreased with increase in essential oil concentration.

Green synthesized gold nanoparticles from Nigella sativa oil were characterized by using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). UV-vis spectrum showed surface plasmon resonance bands at 540-560nm. Zeta potential measured the stability of the synthesized gold nanoparticles, with the highest stability of-39.1 mV. The crystalline phase represents Bragg's reflection with face centric cubic planes of 111, 200, 220, & 311. The morphological characterization of the synthesized gold nanoparticles and the elemental composition of the nanoparticles were confirmed by TEM and EDS. The size of the particles was ranged between 13 nm-78 nm. The antibacterial activity was effective against gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseduomonas aeruginosa and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bascillus substilis at the concentration of 50 μg/ml. The anticancer activity was evidenced on the Hep-G2 liver cancer cell line by MTT assay and the I50 value was 70.60 μg/ml at 100μg/ml. Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles from the oil of plant-based source are biocompatible and could be used in various applications.

The unique chemistry of ZeMac® alternating copolymers of ethylene and maleic anhydride is such that when dissolved in water, it provides an average of 1,427 carboxylic acid groups on one molecular chain. When partially or fully hydrolyzed these groups get ionized and due to poly-ionic effect this provides these ZeMac solutions to be used as a size regulator to control both the mean particle size (MPS) and the breadth of the particle size distribution (PSD) of microcapsules.
There are numerous possibilities for applications of this technology. So far customers who have taken advantage of this technology commercially include applications using fragrance, specialty inks and phase change materials. The paper will cover many of these applications.

Interest in the consumption of fresh fruits is, to a large extent, due to its content of bioactive nutrients and their importance as dietary antioxidants. There is a growing demand for delivery of antioxidants through functional foods with the related challenge of protecting their bioactivity during food processing and subsequent passage through the gastrointestinal tract. This study focuses on the evaluation of concentration of bioactive compounds in black currant berries (Ribes nigrum L.) and retention of black currant polyphenol compounds and their antioxidant activity after microencapsulation by spray-drying. The polyphenol contents and antioxidant activities were assessed for 5 black currant cultivars grown in Canada in fresh and stored fruits at −20 • C for 9 months. The Ben Alder cultivar was the richest in anthocyanins and flavonols content with high antioxidant potential measured with ABTS and DPPH radicals (4.5 and 2.4 mM/100 g). Black currant polyphenols were stable during 9 month of storage at −20 • C. The results of this study indicated that in black currants storage did not affect negatively the antioxidant capacity. The good stability of bioactive compounds of black currants during freezer storage allows prolonging the storage time of these berries. Maltodextrins with different DE (dextrose equivalent): DE11, DE18, DE21 and inulin were selected as wall material. The stability of encapsulated polyphenols during 12 months storage at 8 • C and 25 • C was evaluated. Compared to maltodextrins DE18 and DE21, maltodextrin DE11 had not only higher drying yield but also offered better protection for phenolics during storage. Radical scavenging activity studies demonstrated significant antioxidant activity of microencapsulated powders before and after storage. The black currant polyphenol microcapsules described in this study represent a promising food additive for incorporation into functional foods due to antioxidant content.

About 40 g of oil/kg seed were extracted from cardamom seeds by steam distillation. Emulsions with oil : gum ratios of 1 : 5, 1 : 4 and 1 : 3 w/w were prepared by homogenizing 300 g of mesquite gum/kg in deionized water with the essential oil. Microcapsules were produced by spray drying. Total oil retention, surface oil, moisture content, and bulk and particle density were analysed in the microcapsules. The greatest encapsulation ezciency reached was 83.6% for an oil : gum ratio of 1 : 4, with a surface oil concentration of 2590 mg/kg powder. Moisture content was similar for the three ratios tested (20}25 g/kg powder).

The aim of this research paper is to develop cost effective coating material for encapsulating lemon oil (as a flavour) without compromising encapsulating efficiency. The three coating materials, namely gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD) and modified starch (MS) and their binary and ternary blends were used to encapsulate lemon oil using spray drying technique. Their properties such as viscosity, emulsion stability, surface oil, total oil, encapsulation efficiency, entrapment efficiency, bulk density and particle size have been investigated. The blend of GA: MS in ratio of 50:50 gave highest encapsulation efficiency. As the percentage of maltodextrin in coating material was increased, the properties of encapsulated material were affected. The encapsulated lemon oil showed better results in instant ice tea premix for beverage with a stability of 6 months.

Microencapsulation has numerous industrial applications. The choice of the appropriate technique depends on several factors. Coacervation is one of the preferable techniques to encapsulate essential oils. Microencapsulation efficiency depends on several variables. The release profile of essential oils can be explained by a diffusion mechanism. a b s t r a c t Microencapsulation provides an important tool for cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical industry, enabling protection and controlled release of several active agents. The encapsulation of essential oils in core-shell or matrix particles has been investigated for various reasons, e.g., protection from oxidative decomposition and evaporation, odor masking or merely to act as support to ensure controlled release. A large number of microencapsulation methods have been developed in order to be adapted to different types of active agents and shell materials, generating particles with a variable range of sizes, shell thicknesses and permeability, providing a tool to modulate the release rate of the active principle.

Carotenoids, anthocyanins, and chlorophylls are used as natural food colourants in the food industry. Microencapsulation is a technology that is used for the protection, stabilization, and the slow release of core materials. There are several techniques and wall materials that are available for microencapsulation of natural food colourants to overcome their instability, solubility, and handling problems. The objective of this paper is to describe techniques for preparation of microcapsulated food colourants and to provide a literature review of utilizable wall materials for natural colourants. Additionally, process conditions for given microencapsulation techniques are also summarized.

Este trabajo de investigación fue desarrollado con el fin de analizar la viabilidad de la obtención de una
bebida instantánea a base de pulpa de fruta y lactosuero deslactosado empleando el método de secado por
atomización (spray drying). Las materias primas empleadas fueron pulpa de mora, suero dulce deslactosado,
maltodextrinas 19 DE y sacarosa. Se realizaron seis diferentes tratamientos, con tres tipos de formulaciones
de la bebida, las cuales se les vario el contenido de maltodextrinas en concentraciones de 15, 20 y 25%
en base a la mezcla de lactosuero, pulpa de fruta y sacarosa, manteniendo constantes las cantidades de
estos ingredientes en cada una de las formulaciones, con el fin de encontrar la concentración más apropiada
que favoreciera el proceso de secado y solubilidad al producto final. El equipo utilizado para el secado
fue un mini spray dryer (Buchi, B-290), con operación en co-corriente y con boquilla atomizadora de dos
fluidos, empleando aire como medio de atomización. En el equipo de secado, para las tres muestras se
vario la temperatura de entrada del aire (TEA) en 190 y 210 °C; la rata de alimentación, la temperatura de
alimentación, la presión de atomización, flujo de aire de secado, y el porcentaje de aspiración del aire se
conservaron contantes en 3 mL/min, 25±0.5 °C, 7±0.1 bar, 357 L/h y 65% respectivamente.

Parasites (ectoparasites or endoparasites) are a major cause of diseases in man, his live‐ stock and crops, leading to poor yield and great economic loss. To overcome some of the major limitations of chemical control methods such as rising resistance, environmen‐ tal and health risks, and the adverse effect on non‐target organisms, biological control (biocontrol) is now at the forefront of parasite (pests) control. Biocontrol is now a core component of the integrated pest management. Biocontrol is defined as " the study and uses of parasites, predators and pathogens for the regulation of host (pest) densities ". Considerable successes have been achieved in the implementation of biocontrol strate‐ gies in the past. This chapter presents a review of the history of biocontrol, its advantages and disadvantages; the different types of biological control agents (BCAs) including predators, parasites (parasitoids) and pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses and virus‐like particles, protozoa and nematodes); the effect of biocontrol on native biodiversity; a few case studies of the successful implementation of biocontrol methods and the challenges encountered with the implementation of biocontrol and future perspectives.

Emulsions of gum arabic solutions (10% w/w) and soya oil at oil/gum ratios of 0.25-5.0 were prepared by homogenization at 20 MPa. The resulting emulsions were subsequently spray-dried to produce powders with oil contents ranging from 20 to 82% (w/w). Lipid globule size distributions and viscosities of the emulsions were determined, and particle size and percentage of extractable oil were determined for the spray-dried powders. The ability of the powders to redisperse in water was also examined. The average lipid globule size (D 4,3 ) (0.57 µm) did not vary significantly (P > 0.05) as the oil/gum ratio was increased from 0.25 and 1.0, but it did increase at higher ratios to a maximum of 2.02 µm. The average particle size of the spray-dried emulsions was within the range 9-17 µm, and the microencapsulation efficiency decreased from 100 to 48% when the oil/gum ratio was increased from 0.25 to 5.0, respectively. Powders with an oil content <50% dispersed readily in water.

The preparation of microsphere by solvent evaporation method has been studied extensively to prepare a microsphere using biodegradable polymer. The properties of biodegradable microsphere of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and (acid lactic-co-glycolic) (PLGA) have been extensively investigated. The encapsulation of highly water soluble compounds including proteins and peptides is providing challenges to the pharmaceutics person. The successful encapsulation of such entities requires high drug loading in the microsphere, prevention of protein degradation by the encapsulation method, and predictable release of the drug compound from the microsphere. Multiple emulsion techniques and some other innovative modifications have been made to the conventional solvent evaporation process. A several process variable affecting the quality of product has been studies in this review.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the encapsulating matrix on producing spray-dried ginger essential oil powders using blends of gum Arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD) and inulin (IN) as wall
materials. The effects of emulsification process assisted by ultrasonication on kinetic stabilization of
emulsions used as the feeding liquid in the spray drying were evaluated. The emulsions obtained by
using ultrasound were more stable and presented smaller droplets (≤2.03 ± 0.01 m). The use of MD and
IN together with GA improved the wettability of the powders (245 ± 21 s). GA:MD powders adsorbed less
water vapour than other treatments under the same storage conditions. The partial replacement of GA
by MD affected considerably the encapsulation efficiency showing the higher value for this parameter
(93.0 ± 0.8%). Larger microparticles were observed in the powders prepared with GA (15.44 ± 0.13 m)
or a mixture of GA and MD (15.83 ± 0.14 m). The physical and chemical properties of the microparticles were substantially modified by using IN or MD together with GA. Based on the studied properties,
the microparticles produced with GA and MD were considered to present the better characteristics for
wettability, encapsulation efficiency and higroscopicity.

Storage stability test a b s t r a c t In this study, nattokinase (NK) was microencapsulated in high-molecular-weight Na-g-PGA, and the amount of NK added to the Na-g-PGA was in the ratio of 1:1 and 2:1 w/w, which was designated as NK-100 and NK-200, respectively. The temperature and pH stability of microencapsulated NK were found to be higher than those of the free form. Free NK lost its overall initial activity after treatment at a temperature above 60 C or at a pH less than 5.0 for 1 h. NK-100 and NK-200 retained 35% and 60% of their activities after exposure to an acidic condition of pH 4.0 and possessed 18% and 25% activity after treatment at 60 C for 1 h, respectively. Furthermore, NK-100 and NK-200 exhibited more protective bioactivity than free NK did in storage stability tests. This simple and versatile approach can be potentially applied to the microencapsulation of various biomolecules for drug-delivery applications.

La encapsulación es una técnica utilizada para contener sustancias de interés en otra, llamada microcápsula. Su función es proteger al componente útil o liberarlo en forma controlada en un medio y a una velocidad requerida. En este estudio se realizó la puesta a punto de la producción de microcápsulas por el método de coacervación simple utilizando gelatina (1-5-10%p/v) como matriz de pared y por acción del sulfato de sodio 20%p/v como agente inductor y glutaraldehído (1-10mmol/g gelatina) como reticulante, en medios con distintos pH (3,5-5,6-9,5). A través de la caracterización morfológica, el tamaño y la estabilidad en el tiempo de las microcápsulas obtenidas y el rendimiento del proceso, se establecieron como mejores condiciones 1%p/v de gelatina, pH 9,5 y 10 mmol glutaraldehído/g gelatina, obteniéndose microcápsulas de diámetro medio de 2,28±0,18 micrones y rendimiento global del método de 44,1%.

Encapsulation is a promising technological process enabling the protection of bioactive compounds against harsh storage, processing, and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions. Legume proteins (LPs) are unique carriers that can efficiently encapsulate these unstable and highly reactive ingredients. Stable LPs-based

A B S T R A C T The present study has aimed to evaluate the microencapsulation process of the different casein hydrolysates and to assess the physical properties (moisture content, water activity, bulk density, tapped density, solubility and hygroscopicity), antioxidant activities, chemical structure (FTIR), microstructure and bitterness-masking of the spray-dried powders. The microencapsulation process was done using a laboratory spray-dryer and maltodextrin (DE = 18) as the carrier agent. The obtained results indicated the hygroscopicity of the casein hydrolysates was significantly reduced after microencapsulation process (P < 0.05). By evaluating the antioxidant properties, it became clear that the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power, Fe 2+ and Cu 2+ chelating activity were maintained as 90.4–98.5%, 77.5–91.6%, 77.2–93.1%, 95.2–99.6%, and 76.7–98.4% after the spray-drying process, respectively. FTIR spectrometry proved the presence of the hydrolysates in the structure of the microcapsules. The scanning electron microscopy images showed the production of hollow particles with a matrix-type structure. In addition, sensory evaluation of the pastilles fortified with microencapsulated and free hydrolysates suggested that the spray-drying has been effective in reducing the bitterness of these compounds.

Physicochemical and thermal characteristics of Australian chia seed oil (CSO) were studied. The specific gravity, viscosity and refractive index of CSO at ambient temperature were 0.93, 43.2 mPa.s and 1.48, respectively. The acid, peroxide, saponification and iodine values and unsaponifiable matter content of CSO were 2.54 g KOH/kg oil, 4.33 meq O 2 /kg oil, 197 g KOH/kg oil, 204 g I 2 /kg oil and 1.12%, respectively. a-linolenic acid is the most abundant fatty acid comprising (64.39% of total oil) followed by linoleic acid (21.46%), while saturated fatty acid content is less than 10%. This CSO contained twelve triacylglycerols (TAGs) out of which trilinolenin (aLnaLnaLn) was the most abundant comprising 33.2% of total TAG. Melting point and melting enthalpy of CSO were À34 °C and 77.48 J/g, respectively. CSO remained stable up to 300 °C with negligible degradation. Due to these physicochemical and thermal properties, CSO is an excellent source of essential fatty acids for food industries.

Lợi khuẩn bao phim Simbiosistem có thành phần là 2 chủng lợi khuẩn: Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR06 và Lactobacillus reuteri LRE02.

Đây là một trong số rất ít sản phẩm men vi sinh trên thị trường được xác định cụ thể chi, loài, chủng và được phân lập tới chủng, đồng thời có nhiều nghiên cứu lâm sàng chứng minh hiệu quả và tính an toàn khi bổ sung, đặc biệt là với trẻ sơ sinh và trẻ nhỏ.

Sản phẩm thuộc thương hiệu Dược phẩm Buona (Italy) đã được nhập khẩu nguyên hộp và phân phối chính thức tại Việt Nam.

Dưới đây là tổng hợp một số nghiên cứu tiêu biểu về bằng chứng tác dụng, tính an toàn của 2 chủng lợi khuẩn trong men vi sinh Simbiosistem này.

Microcapsules containing Morinda citrifolia L. microparticles were produced by a spray-drying technique using various proportions of -carrageenan and maltodextrin as the binding materials. In this work, the effects of spray-drying on the encapsulation yield, particle size, moisture content, DPPH scavenging activity, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of the bioactive components of M. citrifolia L. were determined for different volume ratios in the inlet air temperature range of 90-140 • C. The results showed that the percentage of 2,2-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity of the spray-dried powder was the highest for the 1:2 ratio (volume ratio of M. citrifolia L. extract to additive solution) at 90 • C, with maltodextrin at a concentration of 33 mg/ml. The results also showed that the microcapsules had a regular spherical shape. The spray-dried M. citrifolia fruit extract showed high antioxidant activity (28.36% DPPH activity), thus suggesting that it might be useful as a food additive and/or ingredient under the above optimum operating conditions. compounds have also been found in the ripe fruit including organic acids . Based on the literature, it is clear that the fruit has antibiotic and antioxidant properties, but there is a lack of scientific evidence based on in vivo studies. Because M. citrifolia L. is believed to have high antioxidant potential, it may substitute as an antioxidant compound in food items and in preventive medicines. In our recent work, the antioxidant potentials of various medicinal plant species were reviewed .

Porous microparticles of different sizes were prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation of biopolymers
gelatine A and sodium alginate for microencapsulation of food bioactives. The optimum pH and ratio
between the polymers sodium alginate and gelatine for maximum complexation was found as 3.7 and
1:3.5 respectively. Effect of various factors like amount of surfactant, concentration of polymer and crosslinker
on the formation, size and porous/nonporous nature of the microparticles were investigated. The
particles’ diameter on swelling at pH = 7.4 was twice that at pH = 1.2 indicating the pH responsiveness.
These microparticles were used as carrier for ascorbic acid. The surface morphology and sizes of the
microparticles were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR) study indicated the formation of polyelectrolyte complex between gelatine and
sodium alginate and successful encapsulation of ascorbic acid into the microparticles. The microparticles
were further characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
and X-ray diffraction (XRD) study.

In this work, therapeutic magnetic micro carriers (TMMC) guided in real time by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are proposed as a mean to improve drug delivery to tumor sites. MRI steering constraints and physiological parameters for the chemoembolization of liver tumors were taken into account to design magnetic iron-cobalt nanoparticles encapsulated into biodegradable poly(D,L-lactic-coglycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles with the appropriate saturation magnetization (M s). FeCo nanoparticles displayed a diameter of 182 nm and an M s of 209 emu g À1. They were coated with a multilayered graphite shell to minimize the reduction of M s during the encapsulation steps. FeCo-PLGA microparticles, with a mean diameter of 58 mm and an M s of 61 emu g À1 , were steered in a phantom mimicking the hepatic artery and its bifurcation, with a flow in the same order of magnitude as that of the hepatic artery flow. The steering efficiency, defined as the amount of FeCo-PLGA microparticles in the targeted bifurcation channel divided by the total amount of FeCo-PLGA microparticles injected, reached 86%. The data presented in this paper confirms the feasibility of the steering of these TMMC.

The purpose of this work is to manufacture a thermoregulating textile fabric based on the incorporation of melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules containing a n-alkane mixture. A series of fabrics containing different mass ratios of polyurethane binder to microcapsules were prepared by a padding process. This research was conducted to clarify the influence of the amount of microcapsules and binder on the thermal response using hot guarded plate, differential scanning calorimetry and hot disc measurements. MicroPCMs were incorporated into cotton fabric by using polyurethane binder without drastically modifying air permeability property. It was observed by DSC that the main endothermic peak of these composites was shifted to higher temperatures. The results indicate that the polymeric binder plays a main role during the 30 s of a cold to warm transition allowing to delay the temperature increase. Furthermore, the thermoregulating response depends on the surface deposited weight and the mass ratio binder to microcapsules. Thus, an interesting cooling effect is found for 20 g/m 2 of binder and from 40 g/m 2 of microPCMs. And a mass ratio binder to microPCMs taken between 1:2 and 1:4 is suitable to manufacture thermoregulating textile.

Cold pressed flaxseed oil was microencapsulated by spray drying using an emulsion containing modified starch. The fatty acid composition, moisture, water activity, wettability, water holding capacity, water solubility, crystallinity, and particle size distribution of the microcapsules were determined. The stability of the microcapsules and the crude oil were assessed. An acceptance test was used for the sensory evaluation of a powdered supplement containing the microcapsules. The fatty acid composition was not significantly affected by the microencapsulation. The moisture, water activity, wettability, water solubility and crystallinity were appropriate for dry powders. The microcapsules had no cracks and showed better oxidative stability compared with the crude oil. Storage under vacuum prevented oxidation of the microcapsules. In sensory evaluation, all quality scores of the supplement containing microcapsules were mid-range or higher. The microencapsulation improved the oxidative stability of the oil and this procedure was satisfactorily applied in powdered food.