Emulsion-Filled Pectin Gels for Vehiculation of Vitamins D₃ and B₁₂: From Structuring to the Development of Enriched Vegan Gummy Candies

Abstract

The demand for plant-based food has been constantly increasing, but plant-based diets can lead to deficiencies of vitamins B12 and D3. Therefore, plant-based food matrixes enriched with these micronutrients are a current demand of the food industry. In this study, emulsion-filled gels (EFGs) enriched with these vitamins were produced using only plant-based ingredients (flaxseed oil, inulin, gum arabic, and pectin). The vitamin D3-loaded emulsions were stable and vitamin was protected over the storage period. Rheological and uniaxial compression tests showed EFG presented stronger gel networks compared to nonfilled gels, indicating that oil droplets behaved as active fillers. EFG with 40% water replacement by emulsion was chosen for vitamin incorporation, and both vitamins were stable after 30 days of storage. EFG was used to formulate a strawberry vitamin-loaded vegan gummy candy, and sensory evaluation indicated a high overall acceptability. Hence, EFG can be an alternative to produce enriched food products able to vehiculate lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactives simultaneously to vegan and vegetarian consumers.