This study demonstrates effective microencapsulation of anthocyanins using black caraway protein, highlighting antioxidant potential in food applications.
Anthocyanins are powerful natural antioxidants, but their use in food systems is limited due to instability under environmental stress. This study aimed to develop a protein-based microencapsulation system for blackcurrant anthocyanins (BCA) using plant protein isolates from canola cake (CC), black caraway seed cake (BC), and soybean meal (SB). Double emulsions (W1/O/W2) were prepared with varying protein concentrations (6%, 8%, and 10%) and freeze-dried. Microcapsules were evaluated for encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant activity, solubility, FTIR, and retention of anthocyanins. BC at 10% concentration showed the highest anthocyanin retention (up to 90.90%), strongest antioxidant activity, and optimal α-helix to β-sheet ratio among the tested systems. In contrast, SB-based capsules had the lowest performance. FTIR revealed that protein secondary structure, especially flexibility, is crucial for effective anthocyanin binding and stability. This study highlights BC protein isolate as a promising, sustainable material for functional ingredient delivery and supports the valorization of agro-industrial by-products in clean-label food applications.
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Aktaş et al. (2025) studied this question.