Abstract
The curcumin sodium alginate balls were developed using pectin to standardize the process technology for encapsulation of curcumin by spherification technique. The primary objective was to enhance the stability and bioavailability of curcumin. Curcumin balls were prepared with different concentrations of sodium alginate 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% and pectin 0.25%, 0.50% and 0.75% along with 0.4% curcumin and spherified in a 0.4 M calcium chloride solution. These formulations were evaluated for the number of balls per gram, diameter, color parameters (L, a, b* values), curcumin content and total soluble solids (TSS). Sensory attributes such as color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability were also assessed. Among the curcumin balls made with 0.75% sodium alginate and 0.75% pectin was found to be best with least number of balls per gram (11.747 g) and colour a* (2.415) and maximum value for Diameter (4.757 mm), colour L* (7.620), b* (35.492), curcumin content (0.4%) and TSS (15.156 0 B) and maximum sensory scor
Introduction
Turmeric is considered the soul of Indian spices. The rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant Curcuma longa L, a member of the ginger family Zingiberaceae and native to tropical South Asia, is the source of turmeric. Temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a significant amount of rainfall throughout the year are necessary for the turmeric plant to thrive. Each plant can reach a height of one meter and has long, oblong leaves. India leads the world in turmeric production, consumption, and exports. The country produced 11.16 lakh tons of turmeric from 2.90 lakh hectares during 2024-2025, accounting for more than 75% of the world’s total production. Turmeric is grown in over 20 Indian states with more than 30 different varieties. Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu are the major turmeric-producing states (Anon., 2024-25) [5]. India consumes 80% of the turmeric produced worldwide due to its natural properties and high content of the crucial bioactive component curcumin (Prasad and Agarwal, 2011) [19].
Turmeric’s primary clinical targets are the gastrointestinal system. It can be used to treat colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and intestinal familial adenomatous polyposis (Hanai and Sugimoto, 2009) [12]. Turmeric has been used for ages as an antibiotic, blood purifier, dermatological treatment, liver illness remedy, conjunctivitis medication, antioxidant, diabetic retinopathy treatment, and cholesterol-lowering agent (Rathaur et al., 2012) [21]. Antioxidants including vitamins C and E present in turmeric help to alleviate the signs of common chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, liver disease, heart disease, and cataracts. Turmeric is also a great natural food colouring because of its natural ingredients, which has contributed to its growing popularity as a food additive (Pari et al., 2008) [18].
Turmeric oleoresin is used to make curcumin, the yellow component that gives turmeric its colour. Turmeric is a widely used spice with well-established therapeutic benefits in Chinese and Indian medicine. It has frequently been utilized to treat a number of illnesses. An in-depth review of research on turmeric indicates that it is widely considered a valuable herb in traditional medicine with a broad range of potential health benefits (Nasri et al., 2014) [16].
Turmeric contains 390 Kcal of energy, 10 g of total fat, 3 g of saturated fat, is cholesterol-free, and provides 0.2 g of calcium, 0.26 g of phosphorus, 10 mg of sodium, 2500 mg of potassium, 47.5 mg of iron, 0.9 mg of thiamine, 4.8 mg of riboflavin, 4.8 mg of niacin, 50 mg of ascorbic acid, 21 g of dietary fiber, 3 g of sugars, and 8 g of protein. Other components identified in turmeric include 2-5% curcumin, 55-70% antioxidants, 0.5-0.8% flavonoids, 0.3-0.7% alkaloids, 0.4-0.5% phenols, 0.6-1.12% tannin, 0.2-0.5% saponins, 0.6-1.5% terpenoids, 2-6% essential oils, and 8-15% oleoresins (Jadhav et al., 2023). The flavonoid curcuminoids consisting of monodesmethoxycurcumin, bisdesmethoxycurcumin, and curcumin (diferuloylmethane) are the active ingredients in turmeric. About 90% of the curcuminoid content in turmeric is curcumin. Additional components consist of proteins, carbohydrates, and resins. Curcumin is the most thoroughly studied active ingredient, making up 0.3-5.4% of raw turmeric (Tanmay et al., 2006) [25].
Spherification, an innovative technique within the field of molecular gastronomy, was initially developed through laboratory research and has now been successfully integrated into the food industry. Through the process of spherification, liquids are encapsulated into small, spherical jellies using a combination of calcium chloride and sodium alginate. Spherification transforms liquids into edible spheres with a thin, gel-like outer layer and a liquid centre. These spheres burst with flavour when eaten. This technique allows for customization, creating spheres in various sizes, flavours, and textures, resembling edible caviar (Gaikwad et al., 2019) [10].
Spherification techniques can be classified according to preparation methods viz. Basic spherification, which involves injecting sodium alginate (SA) solution into a calcium solution, causing calcium ions to permeate into the SA droplet and form calcium alginate from the surface to the inside of the sphere (Tsai et al., 2017) [26]; and Reverse spherification (RVS), in which the calcium solution is injected into the SA solution, causing diffusion of calcium ions into the surrounding SA and forming calcium alginate in the outer layer (Lee and Rogers, 2012) [14].
Polysaccharides such as cellulose, starch derivatives, pectins, gums, and seaweed extracts are utilized in edible coatings. However, these substances are typically highly hydrophilic, which means that in moist environments they have poor gas and water barrier qualities. Research has shown that the majority of polysaccharides have good barrier properties at low relative humidity levels (less than 25%) (Baldwin et al., 2011) [6].
Alginates are an attractive component since they are obtained from marine brown algae (Mabeau and Fleurence, 1993) [15], which are non-toxic, biodegradable, and naturally occurring (Silva et al., 2006) [24]. According to Vilgis (2012) [27], they are categorized as hydrocolloids large, water-soluble molecules that increase viscosity and are often used as texturizers. The spherification process has potential for creating edible curcumin balls. The possible advantages of curcumin encapsulation include increased stability and bioavailability. It is feasible to produce these curcumin balls for use in supplements or food items. These curcumin balls have consumer acceptability and potential applications in the food industry.
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Encapsulation of curcumin through spherification: A novel nutraceutical approach, DP Jagtap, JH Kadam, GD Shirke, RC Ranveer, SB Swami and AS Kamat, DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2025.v9.i10Se.5861
