Encapsulationof lycopene from watermelon in calcium-alginate microparticles using an optimised inverse-gelation method by response surface methodology

Lycopene exhibits strong antioxidant activity due to its unsaturated molecular bonds, which also contributes to its susceptibility for degradation. Encapsulation techniques can reduce lycopene degradation, increasing its potential applications in functional foods and nutraceuticals. The objective of this study was to optimise the encapsulation of lycopene from watermelon in alginate microparticles using the inverse gelation method. Box-Behnken design was used for the optimisation of three variables: concentrations of alginate (w/v %) and CaCl2 (g L-1), and gelation time (min). Two types of alginate were investigated (low viscosity and high viscosity) and optimised separately using encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity as responses. Results indicated that the models had a good fit to the experimental data and the optimal conditions varied depending on the type of alginate. In general, particles prepared with low-viscosity alginate exhibited higher encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity and could be used for further research.