Development of Byopolymeric Micropaeticles as Anthocyanin Stabilizers

The objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of stabilizing anthocyanins (AC)29 through their encapsulation in sodium caseinate (NaCAS) microgels. To investigate this, a30 comprehensive examination of the formation of complexes between AC from blueberries and31 blackberries and NaCAS was conducted utilizing fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier32 Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This study was conducted in both the absence and33 presence of tara gum (TG), due to the established formation of NaCAS microgels at specific34 concentrations of both biopolymers during the acid gelation process. The extracts from both35 berries caused static fluorescence quenching of NaCAS and altered the peak position and/or36 intensity of the –OH, C–H, amide I, amide II, and COO⁻ protein bands. These results indicate that37 hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions play a role in the formation of AC-NaCAS38 complexes. The formation of these complexes leads to conformational changes in NaCAS, which39 are further enhanced by the presence of TG. The increase in the random coil content of NaCAS,40 along with the presence of TG, enhances protein-protein interactions, resulting in the formation41 of NaCAS microgels that incorporate AC, as confirmed by confocal microscopy.