Encapsulation: A Revolutionary Approach to Preserving Bioactive Compounds in Functional Food Products

Functional food products offer excellent health benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds, which provide physiological, in addition to nutritional, benefits. The food industry aims to produce palatable functional food products with long shelf life by artificially adding bioactive compounds. Incorporating bioactive compounds into food products in a way that maintains their intended characteristics and shelf life until consumption is a major challenge. Encapsulation is a revolutionary method to preserve bioactive molecules, which in turn improves the incorporation of added components into food products. In encapsulation, a shell (solid, liquid, or gas) is created around the core substance. By reducing the core substance’s reactivity to its external environment (heat, moisture, air, and light), encapsulation can prevent bioactive compounds from deterioration. This article explains the use of encapsulated bioactive compounds in developing functional food products.