Tannin-rich extracts improve the performance of amidated pectin as an alternative microencapsulation matrix to alginate.

Microencapsulation of tannin extracts through extrusion-gelation method was performed comparing two alternative encapsulation matrices: alginate and amidated pectin. The microstructure of the generated microbeads was studied, as well as their microencapsulation efficiency and release properties. Overall, pectin-based beads performed better than their alginate-based counterparts. This, combined with a greater incorporation of tannins in the feed formulations led to a higher tannin load in the final beads. The best microencapsulation efficiency was given by pectin microbeads loaded with 10% tannin extract (w/w), but the final tannin content could be further increased by adding a 20% (w/w) concentration of the extracts. During a 14-days storage, only a marginal loss of tannins was recorded for pectin-based microbeads. The results reveal that great potential exists in producing pectin-based microbeads in presence of tannins, which allow better loading capacities and improving structural properties, thanks to the interactions between the tannins and the amidated polysaccharide.