Microencapsulation Enhances the Biological Potential, Bioaccessibility, and Intracellular Oxidative Status of Guava Phenolic Extracts

Guava fruit is widely consumed in tropical countries and beyond. The phenolic fraction of guava pulp and processing waste (a single fraction containing seeds, skins, and pulp residues) have been reported to carry in vitro biological activities, acting on biomarkers of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity (enzymatic inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase), atherosclerosis (mitigation of LDL-cholesterol oxidation), and mutagenesis (suppression of DNA strand scission). However, such bioactivities may be compromised by the exposure of guava phenolics to the harsh conditions found along the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To overcome this limitation, guava phenolic extracts were microencapsulated with maltodextrin through freeze-drying. The effect of crude and microencapsulated extracts on biomarkers of metabolic diseases was compared before and after in vitro simulated GI digestion. Moreover, guava waste extracts were tested for their ability to interfere with the intracellular redox status of Caco-2 and HeLa cells incubated with free radicals. Microencapsulation considerably improved the bioaccessibility of guava phenolics across digestion stages, which reflected on the enhancement of most bioactivities measured, with the exception of pancreatic lipase inhibition (both pulp and waste extracts) and LDL oxidative protection (pulp extract). Meanwhile, microencapsulation accentuated intracellular antioxidant activity in Caco-2 cells induced by guava waste extract whereas a prooxidant effect in HeLa cells was intensified. This highlights the selectivity of the same extract toward different cell lines. Overall, microencapsulation was demonstrated as a promising tool for protecting and even enhancing the nutraceutical power of guava phenolics, reinforcing their relevance in the development of functional foods and nutraceutical products.