title: Niosome-loaded cold-set whey protein hydrogels.
abstract: The α-tocopherol-carrying niosomes with mean diameter of 5.7 μm were fabricated and charged into a transglutaminase-cross-linked whey protein solution that was subsequently gelled with glucono delta-lactone. Encapsulation efficiency of α-tocopherol within niosomes was ≈80% and encapsulation did not influence the radical scavenging activity of α-tocopherol. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy suggested formation of ε-(γ-glutamyl) lysine cross-linkages by transglutaminase and that enzymatic cross-linking increased proteins hydrophobicity. FTIR also proposed hydrogen bonding between niosomes and proteins. Dynamic rheometry indicated that transglutaminase cross-linking and niosomes charging of the protein solution enhanced the gelation process. However, charging the cross-linked protein solution with niosomal suspension resulted in lower elastic modulus (G') of the subsequently formed gel compared with both non-cross-linked niosome-loaded and cross-linked niosome-free counterparts. Electron microscopy indicated a discontinuous network for the niosome-loaded cross-linked sample. Niosome loading into the protein gel matrix increased its swelling extent in the enzyme-free simulated gastric fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Engineering, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abaee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Engineering, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Center of Excellence for Application of Modern Technologies for Producing Functional Foods and Drinks (FFDCE), University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Interdisciplinary Research Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources Nanotechnology (IRDANN), University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Electronic address: a.madadlou@ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madadlou
mesh_terms: D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000067816:Whey Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D008081:Liposomes; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D011503:Transglutaminases; C105804:transglutaminase 1; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol
keywords: Niosome; Transglutaminase; Whey protein cold-set gel; α-Tocopherol