(P26-070-25) Comparative Evaluation of Porous Starches for Resveratrol Encapsulation and In-Vitro Release

Objectives: Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenolic compound found in grapes, red wine, and berries, with health benefits such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The poor stability and bioavailability of RSV in humans after consumption requires developing delivery systems. Porous starch, which is consumable, readily accessible from various botanical sources, and high in adsorption capacity, is a cost-effective encapsulation material for drugs and sensitive compounds. Porous corn starch has been well studied and is commercially available. However, the encapsulation capabilities of porous rice and potato starch, with different granule and pore sizes, remain unknown. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate and compare the loading capacity and in-vitro release of RSV among porous rice, corn, and potato starch as a basis for further bioavailability studies.

Methods: RSV was encapsulated into porous starches (rice, corn, and potato) using the simple plating method and analyzed using HPLC. The encapsulated samples were then subjected to the in-vitro simulated digestion, including oral, gastric and intestinal phase, to determine the release profile. The total pore volume and the thermal stability of samples were analyzed using a pycnometer and a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) system. The morphology of samples was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistical analysis was performed using JMP Pro 18 with significance at p < 0.05.

Results: Rice and corn have significantly higher loading capacity (p < 0.05) among three porous starches, followed by potato, corresponding to their granule size. After intestinal digestion, potato has a significantly higher release rate compared to rice starch. Rice and corn have similar pore volumes of 0.348 cm³/g and 0.348 cm³/g, followed by potato at 0.343 cm³/g. Porous starches exhibited higher gelatinization temperatures and enthalpy compared to their native counterparts, with enthalpy values of 13.68 J/g for rice and 17.07 J/g for potato. However, corn starch showed a lower enthalpy of 12.35 J/g compared to the native corn starch.

Conclusions: Porous starches with smaller granule sizes possess higher loading capacity and better in-vitro release profile.

Funding Sources: Arkansas Biosciences Institute