Nanoencapsulation of hyssop essential oil in chitosan-pea protein isolate nano-complex

Nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds is an emerging field in food and pharmaceutical industries. In present work, essential oil was extracted from aerial parts of hyssop and encapsulated in chitosan-pea protein isolate nano-complex using a nanoprecipitation method. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the formation of nano-complex for maximizing the retention rate of hyssop essential oil (HEO) loaded in the nano-matrix and minimizing the average particle size simultaneously. The optimum nano-matrix formation were of chitosan/pea protein isolate ratio of 2.12 (w/w) and essential oil/chitosan-pea protein isolate ratio of 1.88 (w/v). Under these conditions, the retention rate of HEO and the average particle size were 81.2% and 216.4 nm, respectively. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicated the success of HEO encapsulation. The formed nanoparticles illustrated a spherical shape and regular distribution as indicated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antioxidant activity of HEO-loaded chitosan-pea protein isolate nano-complex was higher than free HEO. Similarly, the encapsulated HEO had a high antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The encapsulated HEO at 2 mg/mL concentration significantly decreased both the incidence and disease severity of gray mold on strawberries during storage at 4 degrees C. These findings imply that HEO-loaded chitosan-pea protein isolate nano-complex is a promising case to be used for novel applications in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Automated summary

The study focused on encapsulating hyssop essential oil in chitosan-pea protein isolate nano-complex using nanotechnology, achieving high retention rate and small particle size. The encapsulated HEO exhibited excellent antioxidant and antifungal activities, significantly reducing gray mold incidence on strawberries.