Production of Micro

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonanamine; C₁₈H₂₇N_O3) is the active compound in hot red chilli peppers and possesses high bioavailability. Physically odourless, with a sharp taste, white in colour, and crystalline in structure, capsaicin is highly stable against external factors such as freezing, cooking and storage. Literature studies have reported that it is a stable and potent compound. Through Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels found on the human tongue, capsaicin causes a hot and burning sensation on the tongue. Studies have reported that capsaicin possesses antimicrobial, analgesic, antitumour, antioxidant, and circulation- and metabolism-accelerating effects. There are also studies indicating that capsaicin affects cancer cells. In mice with lung and prostate cancer, capsaicin administered daily through diet has been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. In addition to these reported benefits of capsaicin on human health, there are studies indicating that it has certain adverse effects depending on excessive consumption and consumer sensitivity. Excessive chilli consumption can cause irritation to the digestive system, and if consumption is intensified, these irritations may lead to laryngeal, oesophageal and gastric cancer. It is noted that excessive capsaicin consumption should be avoided. In the present study, capsaicin was encapsulated using spray-cooling technology, converting it into a product that minimises burning sensation in the mouth and stomach, does not cause irritation during consumption, yet retains all its benefits. Spray-cooling technology is an encapsulation process in which hydrophobic materials such as phospholipids, hydrogenated oils, waxes, fatty acids, polyethylene glycol, and mixtures of these materials are used as coating materials. Spray-cooling technology has been used for many years in the production of pharmaceutical capsules and as an alternative microencapsulation technique for encapsulating active materials and volatile compounds that are sensitive to external factors, particularly water. In the study, suitable stabiliser and protein types were first selected for preparing a capsaicin emulsion. For this purpose, 25 emulsions of different compositions were prepared using whey protein isolate, gelatine, sodium caseinate, soya lecithin, polysorbate 20 and polyglycerol polyricinoleate. Capsaicin (≤67%) was used as the core material. Emulsions created with different proteins and stabilisers were converted to powder form under fixed spray-cooling conditions and their microencapsulation efficiencies were examined. Taking into account emulsion stability and microencapsulation efficiency results, whey protein isolate as protein and soya lecithin as stabiliser were identified as the most suitable coating materials. In the second phase, according to the CCRD (Central Composite Rotatable Design) experimental design, the effects of homogenisation speed (10,000-20,000 rpm), sunflower oil/palm oil ratio (0.5-1.5%), inlet temperature (10-20°C) and capsaicin concentration in the emulsion (0.1-0.5%) on the production of capsaicin microcapsules with suppressed burning sensation using spray-cooling technology were examined. In this way, 30 different production conditions prepared according to CCRD experimental design were tested. Physicochemical analyses and in vitro gastrointestinal release analyses were conducted on powder samples obtained by spray-cooling technology. Optimal production conditions that minimised the release of capsaicin microcapsules in the mouth and stomach and maximised microencapsulation efficiency were calculated using Design Expert software. In the third phase of the study, capsaicin microcapsules produced under optimal conditions were packaged in aluminium-lined polyethylene packaging material and stored at 4°C and 25°C for 60 days. During storage, the physical and chemical properties of capsaicin microcapsules were examined at 15-day intervals. In the final phase, to observe the behaviour of capsaicin microcapsules in model foods, capsaicin microcapsule production was carried out under optimal spray-cooling processing conditions and the produced capsaicin powder was incorporated into model foods. In this context, milk, ayran, turnip juice and salad dressing were selected as daily consumed foods, plain cake as heat-treated sweet food, bread as heat-treated savoury food, and mayonnaise to represent fatty emulsion. Model foods fortified with capsaicin microcapsules were stored under refrigeration conditions (4°C) for 7 days, and sensory acceptability and burning intensity values were determined throughout storage. In all samples, capsaicin release rates in the mouth, stomach and intestines were analysed in a static gastrointestinal model system. As a result of sensory tests, samples fortified with capsaicin microcapsules produced by spray-cooling technology showed the highest acceptability scores in ayran, turnip juice, salad dressing, bread and mayonnaise samples. Furthermore, it was observed that capsaicin microcapsules maintained stability throughout the 7-day storage in all model foods, and the release rate remained very low. The burning sensation of capsaicin microencapsulated by spray-cooling technology was suppressed in the range of 90-98%. The capsaicin microcapsules obtained as a result of the study will contribute to the production of alternative products, enabling consumers who cannot consume hot chilli peppers and their products due to their burning sensation to benefit from capsaicin. The obtained capsaicin microcapsules, by releasing minimally in the mouth and stomach, prevent irritation. Capsaicin with suppressed burning sensation can particularly be used in many foods such as salad dressings, ketchup, mayonnaise, ice cream, yoghurt and cheese as alternative production varieties. Furthermore, capsaicin, which has been reported to reduce obesity prevalence, is expected to create potential for use in diet food products when used in this manner. Acknowledgements We thank TÜBİTAK (TOVAG Project No: 116O499) for supporting the project.   Assoc. Prof. Hilal Şahin Nadeem Aydın Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Faculty of Engineering Department of Food Engineering         Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Koç Aydın Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Faculty of Engineering Department of Food Engineering      

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