ABSTRACT
Folic acid (FA) is an essential micronutrient but its delivery and bioavailability is a problem due to its inherent instability at various conditions. A robust protective encapsulation system for folic acid is highly desirable. This work reports the use of the divalent copper in complex with alginate as a strong encapsulation system for folic acid. Using gel spherification technique, hydrogels were formed upon dropwise addition of sodium alginate solution in a copper bath. In the presence of folic acid, encapsulation was achieved as evidenced by the yellow coloration, intact surface morphology (SEM), the presence of nitrogen (23.08% N; EDX), and thermal gravimetric degradation for folic acid (28% FA; TGA). The spherical hydrogels do not burst upon 2â¯m-drop test and remain intact at pHâ¯1.2 with no evident release of folic acid indicating stability of the encapsulation system at the abdominal gastric condition. The copper alginate acted as gastro-resistant material and slow release of folic acid occurs only at pHâ¯>â¯5 especially at simulated intestinal conditions (pHâ¯8.2). The study indicates the potential of copper alginates as a protective encapsulant to ensure stability and slow release of FA in simulated physiological pH conditions.