Working Principles and Use of Gelatin for Food Component Encapsulation

Abstract

With the increase in the shortage of food resources, in particular, in developing and low-income countries, food preservation has become mandatory. Food encapsulation is one of the practical processes for protecting and preserving food components against harmful surrounding conditions, such as moisture, light, or free radicals. Encapsulation can also be used to mask unpleasant odors and flavors. Not only can the core material of the capsule be changed in the food encapsulation process, but there are also several other aspects, such as the coating material used, encapsulation technique, capsule size, and the release mechanism, to be considered. In Chapter 7, our colleagues have talked about how lipid-based materials can be applied to encapsulate food components. In Chapters 9 and 10, we and our colleagues will use two polymers, gelatin and chitosan, as practical examples to illustrate the possible use of polymers in food component encapsulation. The example we will use in this chapter is gelatin, which is widely used in the food encapsulation field, for its biocompatibility, low price, availability, and mechanical properties. In this chapter, the food encapsulation process using gelatin biopolymer or in other blended forms will be covered from different points of view, including microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation, mechanisms of release, and encapsulation techniques, such as coacervation, extrusion, fluidized-bed coating, or spray drying.