Exploring the Antibacterial Benefits of Microencapsulated Dill Essential Oil

Jim Crocker
13th September, 2024

Exploring the Antibacterial Benefits of Microencapsulated Dill Essential Oil

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, studied the encapsulation of dill essential oil to preserve its antimicrobial properties and control its release
  • The study found that using maltodextrin and arabic gum as coating agents improved the stability and encapsulation efficiency of dill essential oil
  • Encapsulated dill essential oil showed significant antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, making it potentially useful for oral care products
The recent study conducted by researchers at Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, explores the encapsulation of dill essential oil using the fluidized bed coating method[1]. This study addresses the challenge of preserving the antimicrobial properties of essential oils while enhancing their stability and controlled release. Essential oils are known for their antimicrobial properties, but their volatility and sensitivity to environmental factors can limit their practical applications. Encapsulation can help overcome these limitations by protecting the essential oil and controlling its release. The primary focus of this investigation was to examine the effects of essential oil concentration and the use of maltodextrin and arabic gum as coating agents on the encapsulation process. The dominant compounds in the dill essential oil were identified as limonene (32.32%), carvone (35.43%), and cis-dihydrocarvone (5.43%). These compounds are known for their antimicrobial properties, which were tested against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. The results showed significant inhibition, with inhibition zones ranging from 5.4 mm to 16 mm for Streptococcus mutans and 6.6 mm to 18 mm for Streptococcus sobrinus, depending on the essential oil concentration. The study found that increasing the concentration of maltodextrin decreased the moisture content, bulk density, and tapped density of the microcapsules, while improving microencapsulation efficiency and loading capacity. Conversely, a higher concentration of arabic gum increased moisture content, loading capacity, and encapsulation efficiency but reduced bulk density and tapped density. This suggests that maltodextrin and arabic gum have complementary roles in the encapsulation process, with maltodextrin enhancing stability and arabic gum improving encapsulation efficiency. These findings align with previous research on the encapsulation of phenolic compounds from date pit powder using maltodextrin and Alhagi maurorum gum[2]. In that study, the optimal physicochemical properties of the microcapsules were achieved at a specific temperature and concentration of the coating agents, demonstrating the importance of optimizing encapsulation conditions. Similarly, the current study identified the optimal conditions for encapsulating dill essential oil as using a 2000 ppm concentration of essential oil with 75% maltodextrin and 0.1% arabic gum. Under these conditions, the microcapsules exhibited nearly spherical particles with smooth, intact surfaces, as observed through scanning electron microscopy. The release profile of the encapsulated dill essential oil was also examined. The study reported a maximum release rate of phenolic compounds in a simulated saliva environment at 98.32% after 20 minutes. This efficient release profile indicates that the encapsulated dill essential oil could be effectively used in applications where rapid release of antimicrobial agents is desired, such as in oral care products. The antimicrobial efficacy of dill essential oil encapsulated using the fluidized bed coating method adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of essential oils as natural antimicrobial agents. Previous studies have demonstrated the antimicrobial properties of various essential oils, such as oregano, coriander, and basil, which showed significant inhibition against a range of microorganisms[3]. The current study's findings on dill essential oil further highlight the potential of essential oils in controlling microbial growth and enhancing food safety. Moreover, the encapsulation of essential oils using different carrier agents has been explored in other studies. For instance, research on the encapsulation of Fingered citron extract using gum arabic, maltodextrin, and modified starch showed that a combination of these agents resulted in high encapsulation yield and efficiency, as well as favorable physicochemical properties[4]. The current study's use of maltodextrin and arabic gum as carrier agents for dill essential oil encapsulation demonstrates a similar approach, emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate carrier agents to achieve optimal encapsulation performance. In conclusion, the study conducted by Islamic Azad University provides valuable insights into the encapsulation of dill essential oil using the fluidized bed coating method. By optimizing the concentration of essential oil and the use of maltodextrin and arabic gum as coating agents, the researchers achieved efficient encapsulation and release profiles, enhancing the antimicrobial potential of dill essential oil. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of essential oil encapsulation and its applications in food safety and antimicrobial treatments.

HerbsMedicineBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Investigation of physicochemical and antibacterial properties of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) microencapsulated essential oil using fluidized bed method.

Published 30th October, 2024 (future Journal edition)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101708

Related Studies

2) Physicochemical and control releasing properties of date pit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) phenolic compounds microencapsulated through fluidized-bed method.

https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3173

3) Antimicrobial activity of essential oils from plants against selected pathogenic and saprophytic microorganisms.

Journal: Journal of food protection, Issue: Vol 64, Issue 7, Jul 2001

4) Microencapsulation of fingered citron extract with gum arabic, modified starch, whey protein, and maltodextrin using spray drying.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.10.201


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