Fortification of a Desert Using Nanoencapsulated Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extract of Small Cardamom Seeds: A Nutraceutical Custard with Antioxidant Synergy
Background: 1,8 cineole-rich supercritical CO2 extract of small cardamom seeds of Alleppey green variety exhibiting prominent antioxidant property was microencapsulated and utilized in formulating an antioxidant-rich custard. However, the antioxidant potency of the prepared custard was not appreciable. To redress the phytochemical loss during custard preparation, custard using nanoliposomes was formulated. Patents related to 1,8 cineole-rich food products have been revised thoroughly. Objective: The objective of the current study is to examine whether nanoencapsulation-mediated entrapment of antioxidants is more effective in fortifying a dessert, namely custard, vis-à-vis microencapsulated (spray dried)-mediated enhancement of antioxidative potency in the same. Methods: Our previous investigations have established that nanoliposome of 1,8 cineole-rich supercritical CO2 extract of small cardamom seeds effectively redresses type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. In the current investigation, this pre-characterized nanoliposome which exhibited appreciable in vitro and in vivo antioxidant efficacy has been utilized at varying concentrations for fortification of a custard. The designer custard samples have been characterized for their sensory and physicochemical properties, identification of the cardamom antioxidants therein and determination of the synergistic efficacy value of the identified antioxidants. Results: The custard formulated with 0.3% nanoliposomes exhibited appreciable antioxidant potency in terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity (304.58±1.09 mg/ml) and reducing power (0.020±0.001 mg BHT/g custard), conferred by its total phenolic content (0.049±0.004 mg GAE/g custard). It also had relatively more stable textural attributes vis-à-vis the control sample (formulated with the non-encapsulated native extract). GC-MS analysis of the nanoliposome-fortified custard confirmed retention of the spice antioxidants namely1,8- cineole, α-terpinyl acetate, α-terpineol and linalool and its synergistic efficacy value being greater than unity, attested to a synergistic presence of cardamom antioxidants therein. The newly formulated custard retained more than 4.5 times of 1,8-cineole (5.05 mg/g custard) vis-à-vis the custard sample (1.12 mg/g custard) prepared with a microencapsulated (spray-dried) formulation of the extract. Additionally, absence of heavy metals in the formulated custard confirmed it to be safe for consumption. Conclusion: This is the first study on application of nanoliposomes of spiceuticals in formulation of a dessert, and more emphatically on use of a ‘green’ supercritical CO2 extract of spice antioxidants in fortification of a dessert to achieve antioxidant synergy.