Use of chickpea protein for encapsulation of folate to enhance nutritional potency and stability

• A versatile use of protein from chick peas.
• A novel method for protection of folate from heat in food processing applications and from UV light during long term storage.
• A simple procedure for folate encapsulation.
• Ease of application of the technique.
• Use of GRAS material for the application.

Proteins have been used to produce capsules and shell materials for food applications. The use of protein in food applications is beneficial from the point of view of biocompatibility, non-toxicity as well as nutritional advantage. The procedures used for the preparation of protein capsules have yielded micro sized encapsulates. This study reports a simple method to produce a protein microencapsulate for carrying nutrients such as vitamins in food preparations. The protein used in this study was isolated from chickpeas. Based on the amphoteric property of the protein, folate (vitamin B9) was encapsulated efficiently from a homogenous protein folate solution mixture, by acidification to the isoelectric point of the protein to obtain the microencapsulate. This yielded a free flowing powder after freeze drying. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were calculated to be 62.19 ± 2.05% and 10.18 ± 0.89%, respectively. The release of the folate was monitored at pH values ranging from 2 to 8. In all cases gradual release was observed. Encapsulation imparted greater stability to folate relative to unencapsulated folate. Therefore protein encapsulation is beneficial for improving the stability of folate in processed food items. This simple method for production of protein microencapsulate can be used to prepare various types of nutriment and drug encapsulations.