Preparation of microcapsules encapsulating β-carotene by complex coacervation

Gelatin/gum Arabic microcapsules encapsulating β-Carotene were prepared by complex coacervation using transglutaminase as hardening agent.The effect of various processing parameters,including core/wall ratio,gelatin/gum Arabic ratio,pH,stirring speed,and kinds of core materials on the morphology and particle size of coacervate microcapsules during preparing process was investigated.The optimal parameters were as follows: core/ wall ratio of 1∶2,gelatin/gum Arabic ratio of 1∶1,pH 3.8,stirring speed of 400 r/min.The encapsulating yield and efficiency were separately 94.38% and 92.65%,separately.Compared with orange oil microcapsules and mandarin oil microcapsules,the average particle size of β-carotene microcapsules was smaller.