Microencapsulation of vitamin D using gelatin and cress seed mucilage: Production, characterization and in vivo study.

Vitamin D plays a significant role in human health and preventing diseases such as heart, immune system, and infectious problems. In this study encapsulation of vitamin D by complex coacervation with a carbohydrate (cress seed mucilage, CSM) and a protein (gelatin) was investigated. Production conditions were optimized based on ratio of core to shell, pH and CSM to gelatin volume ratio. The results showed that both the ratio of core to shell and the mucilage to gelatin ratio had significant effects (p < 0.05) on encapsulation efficiency and load. The optimum microcapsules had efficiency and loading capacity of 67.93 and 50.9%, respectively. The microcapsules were generally non-spherical and had rough surfaces. The average size of this particle was 137.22 ± 3.21 μm. The FTIR result confirmed presence of vitamin D in microparticle. TGA results indicated that main weight loss of vitamin loaded microcapsules were in the temperature range of 270 to 500 °C whereas weight loss of pure vitamin started from 185 °C and completely decomposed at 300 °C. About 28 and 70% of vitamin release were occurred in simulated gastric and intestinal media, respectively. In vivo test was also performed on male rats to investigate the efficiency of microencapsulated vitamin on blood vitamin D, calcium and glucose as well as body height and weight and the data revealed its functionality.