CHAPTER 4: Food Proteins as Biomaterial for Delivery Functions
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Published:03 Jun 2021
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Special Collection: 2021 ebook collection
O. D. Okagu, B. Wang, and C. C. Udenigwe, in Food Proteins and Peptides: Emerging Biofunctions, Food and Biomaterial Applications, ed. C. C. Udenigwe, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, pp. 97-126.
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The inherent structural and functional properties of food proteins of animal, plant or recombinant sources, such as amphiphilic, charged, neutral and hydrophobic side-chain functional groups, high nutritional value, binding potential, self-assembly, emulsion, foaming and gelling properties, have stimulated studies of their application in the encapsulation, protection and delivery of food bioactive compounds. This chapter discusses various protein-based nano- and microencapsulation systems and fabrication, characterization and evaluation techniques that have been employed for the encapsulation, protection and controlled release of various bioactive molecules with improved bioavailability and permeability facilitated by enhanced solubility, stability and bioaccessibility and reduced size.