Efficient Stabilization Of Tocopherol By Complex Coacervation: Application Of Tannic Acid As Cross-Linking Agent

This study presents an innovative method for encapsulating α-tocopherol (TOCO) by complex coacervation, employing diisopropyl adipate as the carrier oil, and combining fungal chitosan (FC) with gum Arabic (GA) as biopolymers. This research specifically integrates tannic acid (TA), a naturally occurring and multifunctional polyphenol, as a cross-linking agent at different concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2% wt) to investigate its effect on the morphology and thermal stability of the FCGA-TOCO coacervates, representing an innovative addition to the literature. This study represents the first study combining both FC and TA, which exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, in order to develop biocompatible and multifunctional coacervates. Morphological and rheological characterizations demonstrated that the incorporation of TA promoted the development of a denser layer surrounding the oil droplets, thus enhancing intermolecular interactions. This improvement was evidenced by an increase in viscosity, as well as in both storage (G’) and loss (G”) moduli of the reticulated microcapsules. Stability evaluations and monitoring at 40 °C indicated that TA not only reduced thermal degradation but also significantly enhanced the retention of TOCO, achieving 81.7% retention after two months. These findings highlight the potential for creating resilient and multifunctional microcapsules, relevant for usage in different sectors.