Eugenol antioxidant and antibacterial properties have suggested its use as a natural preservative for food matrices. Eugenol application is compromised due to its high volatility and sensibility to external agents, such as light, heat, oxygen, and moisture. Thus, microencapsulation is viable to increase the eugenol stability. Results have showed that carrageenan combined with rice protein and bovine albumin allow high-quality eugenol microcapsules. These materials show excellent properties, favoring the microcapsules use in food matrices. This study aimed to optimize microcapsules formulation by spray drying, using a simplex-centroid mixture design. Blends of low-lactose whey protein (WP) and/or rice bran protein (RBP) and/or bovine serum albumin (BSA) with carrageenan were used as wall materials. Blends influenced the eugenol retention, microencapsulation efficiency, and size. Pure WP was not efficient for eugenol encapsulation. The highest eugenol retention values, 89.7% and 86.5% were obtained by combining carrageenan with RBP or BSA. RBP and BSA binary interaction with carrageenan showed the highest encapsulation value (80.5%). Scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry confirmed eugenol inside the microcapsules.

Abstract Milk is a key food worldwide prone to mycotoxins contamination. Lactobacillus plantarum and prebiotics detoxification ability was evaluated by a Plackett-Burman Design considering the reduction of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and its bioaccessibility in artificially contaminated ultra-high temperature cow milk. Six variables were evaluated: AFB1 concentration (from 5.0 to 10.0 μg L−1); incubation time (0 to 6 h); and inulin, oligofructose, β-glucan, and polydextrose concentrations (from 0.00 to 0.75%). The reduction in AFB1 ranged from 0% to 55.85% and in vitro bioaccessibility from 15.62% to 51.09%. The greatest reduction in AFB1 occurred by adding L. plantarum combined with inulin, oligofructose and β-glucan. The greatest reduction in bioaccessibility occurred by adding inulin or oligofructose and L. plantarum with a 10.0 μg L−1 AFB1 concentration. A sharp reduction in AFB1 was accompanied by higher bioaccessibility rates, and in this case, bioaccessibility is considered the main factor to ensure a low AFB1 absorption by the body. The best experimental condition was 10.0 µg L-1 AFB1, added of L. plantarum and inulin or oligofructose (0.75%), ensuring > 16% final bioaccessibility. Such results represent a safe AFB1 decontamination level for milk.