Publications by authors named "Pooja J Rao"

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based nanoemulsions for quick dissolving orodispersible (OD) films were prepared to encapsulate clove oil (CO) to harness its anti-bacterial properties. The influence of additives maltodextrin, pectin, and glycerol on the OD films was studied. The nanoemulsion particle size varied from 135 nm to 195 nm.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cashew nut testa (CNT) is a cashew by-product that is rich in polyphenols but faces challenges like astringency, low solubility, and polyphenol instability during processing.
  • Nanoencapsulation using β-cyclodextrin and whey protein isolate resulted in a nano-complex that demonstrated higher encapsulation efficiency and yield, alongside improved stability and solubility.
  • The study indicates that the nano-complex can control the release of bio-actives, showing great potential for applications in the food and agricultural sectors.
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  • The study evaluated the safety, toxicity, and distribution of eugenol nanoparticles (EONs) in Wistar rats after oral administration, observing no adverse effects or inflammation.
  • Biodistribution analysis showed that eugenol was rapidly absorbed with a peak concentration (Cmax) of 15.05 μg/mL in blood plasma at around 8 hours (Tmax).
  • EONs were found to enhance the stability and solubility of eugenol while showing a promising safety profile, suggesting potential for continued research and application.
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Unlabelled: Curcumin, bioactive from turmeric , has been known for its therapeutic properties. However, its lipophilic nature and poor bioavailability are the constraints to harnessing its properties. Encapsulation in nano-size helps to alleviate the constraints and enhance its biological properties due to its higher surface area.

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Curcumin, a major bioactive in curcuminoids and food colorant, possess therapeutic properties, however, its low water solubility, instability during processing limit its industrial applications. The nanoencapsulated curcumin (NEC) in sodium caseinate (SC) and Maillard conjugate (MC) showed >90% water solubility. Encapsulation in MC reduced particle size (150 to 120 nm) zeta potential (-34 to -45 mV) and improved encapsulation efficiency (74 to 94%) compared to SC under optimized Tween20 and salt-ions.

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The low stability of anthocyanins is a constraint in the food industry. The present work has been carried out to overcome this low stability by encapsulating fruit concentrate of underutilized plant Carissa spinarum (CS) with polyphenols in microemulsions (CSME) and nanoemulsions (CSNE). Increasing the amount of CS reduced the particle size from 1154 to 70-300 nm whereas addition of Tween 80 reduced it optimally to 5-25 nm.

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The influence of protein (sodium caseinate-SC), polysaccharide (maltodextrin-MD; pectin-PC) and their Maillard conjugates (sodium caseinate maltodextrin conjugate-SCMDC; sodium caseinate pectin conjugate-SCPCC) were studied on the physico-chemical and biological properties of eugenol nanoemulsions/powder. The chemical composition was optimized using Taguchi design. The particles size of eugenol nanoemulsions with SC, MD, PC, SCMDC and SCPCC were 104.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Pooja J Rao"

  • - Pooja J Rao's recent research focuses on the valorization of underutilized plant by-products, such as cashew nut testa and Carissa spinarum fruit, through advanced nanoencapsulation techniques to enhance the stability and bioactivity of their polyphenols and other bioactive compounds
  • - Studies on eugenol nanoparticles demonstrate significant findings regarding acute and subacute toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution in Wistar rats, emphasizing the need for safety assessment in the development of nanoparticle-based food additives
  • - The research highlights the influence of encapsulating agents like whey protein isolate and various biopolymers in improving the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds, addressing challenges such as solubility and stability during food processing