International Journal of Applied And Pure Science and Agriculture CHITOSAN -WHEY PROTEIN COMPLEX (CS-WP) AS DELIVERY SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE BIOAVAILABILITY OF IRON

Abstract

Use of whey proteins as a natural nano-capsular vehicle to carry and improve the bioavailability of iron was investigated in this study. Nanoparticles of whey protein concentrate-chitosan (CS-WPC) complex were prepared with the aim of developing a biocompatible carrier for the oral administration of iron as a nutraceuticals. Effects of pH, concentration of native CS-WPC and iron on the nanoparticles with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) prepared by ionic gelation were investigated. CS-WPC were loading with different iron concentration namely; ferrous sulphate. The surface charge of the particles was positive and negative that strongly pH dependent and showed positive charge after iron loading at low protein concentration and was negative at 8 and 12 % when the pH increased to 5.5. The association efficiency (AE) and loading efficiency (LE) of CSWPC nanoparticles was highly sensitive to formulation pH. This adsorption can be mainly attributed to electrostatic, hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding between WPC and CS. The iron release experiments showed that the nanoparticles prepared with native WPC had favorable properties to resist acid and pepsin degradation in simulated gastric conditions. When transferred to simulated intestinal conditions, the WPC shells of the nanoparticles were not degraded by pancreatin showing the same results with and without enzymes after 6 h. CS-WPC iron nanoparticles at level 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 mg/g protein showed very high bioavailability after evaluated in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids in the presence or absence of the enzymes.