Abstract:
The use of essential oils as the preservative agents in food industry faces the problem of
interactions with food matrix components,
low solubility in aqueous phase,
high volatile
character and sensitivity to environmental condition
s
.
The aim of this study was to
enhance thermal stability and antioxidant activity of
T
hyme essential
O
il (TO) by
encapsulation in
C
hitosan
N
anoparticles (CS
-
NP). TO was encapsulated in CS
-
NP with
an emulsion
–
ionic gelation crosslinking method and the constru
ction was confirmed by
Fourier
T
ransform
I
nfrared spectroscopy
(FT
-
IR) and thermogravimetric analysis
techniques.
The effect of CS: TO weight ratio encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity,
particle size and zeta potent
ial of TO
-
loaded
C
hitosan
N
anoparticle (CS
-
NP
-
TO) were
investigated.
The encapsulated TO
was
decomposed at
a
higher temperature (318
-
325.4ºC) than free TO (170ºC) reflecting the enhanced thermal stability of TO by
encapsulation.
Also, w
hen TO was encapsula
ted in CS
-
NP, antioxidant activity proved to
be superior from that of free TO. The considerable antioxidant activity and thermal
stability reveal that such particle
s
have promising application for delivery of TO in
medicine, food and feed.
Keywords:
Antio
xidant activity,
Chitosan nanoparticle, Encapsulation, Thermal stability
,
Thyme oil.
