The formulation and the release of low–methoxyl pectin liquid-core beads containing an emulsion of soybean isoflavones

Combined microcapsule carrier technology is often used to modify the properties of the bioactive ingredients in recent years. This research used emulsification technology to improve soybean isoflavone bioavailability. Low-methoxyl pectin (LMP)-based liquid-core hydrogel beads improved the appearance characteristics and adjusted release of emulsified soybean isoflavones. The particle size of soybean isoflavone emulsion was 40.09 nm, and its carrying content was 1.125 mg/mL. Curing 0.3% LMP with 0.3 M calcium chloride for 60 min improved bead shape and appearance, resulting in a 95.17% emulsion encapsulation efficiency. The egg-box structure improves thermal stability and bead hardness. The simulated gastrointestinal fluid environment showed 1.42%–7.99% release in the stomach compared with 85.03% release in the intestine after 1 h. In the storage test, retention rates were over 64.10% and had no significant difference between 4 °C and 25 °C. The retention rate of soybean isoflavones stored under pH 3 was higher than pH 7.