# Spray-Dried Multiple Emulsions as Co-Delivery Systems for Chlorogenic Acid and Curcumin

## TL;DR

This paper explores using spray-dried emulsions to improve the stability and delivery of health-benefiting compounds like chlorogenic acid and curcumin in functional foods.

## Contribution

A novel spray-drying method is introduced to co-encapsulate hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds in multiple emulsions for enhanced stability and bioaccessibility.

## Key findings

- Spray drying improved chlorogenic acid retention and oxidative stability in encapsulated microparticles.
- Curcumin bioaccessibility decreased in microparticles compared to liquid emulsions due to reduced lipid digestion.
- Chlorogenic acid bioaccessibility increased in microparticles, showing protective effects under intestinal conditions.

## Abstract

The low stability and bioaccessibility of polyphenols limit their application in functional foods. To address this, chlorogenic acid (CGA) and curcumin (CU) were selected as model compounds and co-encapsulated in spray-dried linseed oil (LO) multiple emulsions (MEs), using octenyl succinic anhydride-modified waxy maize starch as encapsulating agent. Water-in-oil-in-water MEs were prepared by two-step high-pressure homogenization and spray-dried under optimized conditions determined by response surface methodology to minimize surface oil. The resulting microparticles were characterized for encapsulation efficiency (EE), morphology, oxidative stability, and performance under simulated gastrointestinal digestion (INFOGEST protocol). Both CGA and CU exhibited high EE in microparticles (~88–90%), with spray drying significantly improving CGA retention compared to liquid emulsions. Microparticles also showed improved oxidative stability due to the presence of antioxidants. During digestion, CU bioaccessibility decreased (62.7%) relative to liquid MEs (83.6%), consistent with reduced lipid digestion. Conversely, CGA bioaccessibility was higher in microparticles (47.6%) than in MEs (29.2%), indicating a protective effect of the encapsulating agent under intestinal conditions. Overall, spray drying stabilized linseed oil-based MEs and enabled effective co-encapsulation of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, supporting their potential as multifunctional delivery systems for functional foods.