Edible Iron-Pectin Nanoparticles: Preparation, Physicochemical Characterization and Release Study

Iron fortification in food is considered as an important way to prevent and treat iron deficiency. However, adding iron in food can affect flavor, color, and oxidation of fat components. Encapsulation of iron can solve the drawbacks of taste, color, and reactivity of iron in oral iron consumption without adverse effect on food quality. The aim of this work was to nanoencapsulate iron into pectin (Pec) nanoparticles (NP) by ion gelation method to prevent undesirable sensorial changes in foods and improve bioavailability of iron. The effect of different parameters including pectin concentration (Pec Con), FeSO4 concentration (Fe Con), and volumetric ratio of Fe solution to Pec solution on iron loaded Pec nanoparticles (IP NP) size was investigated. Morphology, size, surface charge, and physicochemical features of the optimized particles were characterized. The iron released from IP NP was studied, and the mathematical model of release was extracted. Pec Con exhibited a direct effect on particle size. The optimized IP NP (Pec solution 0.1% (w/w), Fe solution 0.05% (w/w), and Pec/Fe: 2) had a hydrodynamic diameter of 417 nm with zeta potential of -11.7 mV and polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.13, with a nearly spherical morphology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) represented the mean size of 58 nm. Iron loading was about 7.5 & PLUSMN; 1.5%. FTIR results confirmed the interaction of iron ions with the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of Pec. The results of differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) indicated the interaction of Pec with iron. The release profile of iron in all pH of 2, 6, and 7.4 showed a burst release at the beginning and then a sustained release occurred. In all three pH values, the mathematical model of release was Korsmeyer-Peppas with the highest R-2 value. Therefore, encapsulation of iron using pectin have a high potential to make nanoparticles with appropriate properties, which can be helpful for iron fortification of food.