Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles

This study determined the impact of ultrasound duration on the encapsulation of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) using whey protein concentrate (WPC) nanoparticles. Whey-protein-concentrate-based DIM nanoparticles were prepared and treated with different ultrasound times (0–20 min) with 30% amplitude at...

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Main Authors: Abbas Khan, Cuina Wang, Adam Killpartrick, Mingruo Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Antioxidants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/3/273
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author Abbas Khan
Cuina Wang
Adam Killpartrick
Mingruo Guo
author_facet Abbas Khan
Cuina Wang
Adam Killpartrick
Mingruo Guo
author_sort Abbas Khan
collection DOAJ
description This study determined the impact of ultrasound duration on the encapsulation of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) using whey protein concentrate (WPC) nanoparticles. Whey-protein-concentrate-based DIM nanoparticles were prepared and treated with different ultrasound times (0–20 min) with 30% amplitude at 4 °C. The results showed that ultrasound treatment significantly decreased the mean particle size (from 265 nm to 218 nm) and the Polydispersity Index (PDI) value (from 0.49 to 0.43) as well as zeta potential values were notably increased. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) increased with increasing sonication time (0–20 min) from 76% to 88%, respectively. The ultrasound treatment had a significant effect on the apparent viscosity, and a decrease in the viscosity as a function of shear rate was observed with increasing sonication time. The transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) micrographs demonstrated that all of the formulations treated with different sonication times had a smooth and uniform spherical shape and ultrasound treatment led to the reduction of particle size, especially after 20 min of ultrasound. The thermal stability of the WPC–DIM nanoparticles was enhanced with increasing sonication time by increasing peak denaturation temperature and enthalpy. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra analysis revealed that ultrasound treatment had a remarkable effect on the secondary structure of WPC–DIM nanoparticles; electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds between DIM and whey protein were strengthened. Moreover, the length of ultrasound treatment exhibited a significant effect on the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity (from 56% to 62%) and ABTS(2,2′-azinobis(2 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) scavenging activity (from 47% to 68%). In conclusion, the ultrasound treatment successfully improved the physicochemical, microstructural, and antioxidative properties of WPC–DIM nanoparticles; therefore, it is considered an effective method to develop whey-protein-concentrate-based DIM nanoparticles for medical and nutritional applications.
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spelling doaj-art-2f601c1a3b3f435388ce44a34dde80f02025-08-20T02:11:21ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212025-02-0114327310.3390/antiox14030273Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane NanoparticlesAbbas Khan0Cuina Wang1Adam Killpartrick2Mingruo Guo3Department of Nutrition and Health Promotion, University of Home Economics Lahore, Lahore 54700, PakistanCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USACollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USAThis study determined the impact of ultrasound duration on the encapsulation of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) using whey protein concentrate (WPC) nanoparticles. Whey-protein-concentrate-based DIM nanoparticles were prepared and treated with different ultrasound times (0–20 min) with 30% amplitude at 4 °C. The results showed that ultrasound treatment significantly decreased the mean particle size (from 265 nm to 218 nm) and the Polydispersity Index (PDI) value (from 0.49 to 0.43) as well as zeta potential values were notably increased. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) increased with increasing sonication time (0–20 min) from 76% to 88%, respectively. The ultrasound treatment had a significant effect on the apparent viscosity, and a decrease in the viscosity as a function of shear rate was observed with increasing sonication time. The transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) micrographs demonstrated that all of the formulations treated with different sonication times had a smooth and uniform spherical shape and ultrasound treatment led to the reduction of particle size, especially after 20 min of ultrasound. The thermal stability of the WPC–DIM nanoparticles was enhanced with increasing sonication time by increasing peak denaturation temperature and enthalpy. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra analysis revealed that ultrasound treatment had a remarkable effect on the secondary structure of WPC–DIM nanoparticles; electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds between DIM and whey protein were strengthened. Moreover, the length of ultrasound treatment exhibited a significant effect on the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity (from 56% to 62%) and ABTS(2,2′-azinobis(2 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) scavenging activity (from 47% to 68%). In conclusion, the ultrasound treatment successfully improved the physicochemical, microstructural, and antioxidative properties of WPC–DIM nanoparticles; therefore, it is considered an effective method to develop whey-protein-concentrate-based DIM nanoparticles for medical and nutritional applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/3/2733,3?-diindolylmethane (DIM)whey proteinnanoparticlesencapsulationultrasound
spellingShingle Abbas Khan
Cuina Wang
Adam Killpartrick
Mingruo Guo
Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
Antioxidants
3,3?-diindolylmethane (DIM)
whey protein
nanoparticles
encapsulation
ultrasound
title Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
title_full Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
title_fullStr Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
title_full_unstemmed Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
title_short Ultrasound-Induced Changes in Physicochemical, Microstructural, and Antioxidative Properties of Whey-Protein-Concentrate-Encapsulated 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Nanoparticles
title_sort ultrasound induced changes in physicochemical microstructural and antioxidative properties of whey protein concentrate encapsulated 3 3 diindolylmethane nanoparticles
topic 3,3?-diindolylmethane (DIM)
whey protein
nanoparticles
encapsulation
ultrasound
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/3/273
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AT cuinawang ultrasoundinducedchangesinphysicochemicalmicrostructuralandantioxidativepropertiesofwheyproteinconcentrateencapsulated33diindolylmethanenanoparticles
AT adamkillpartrick ultrasoundinducedchangesinphysicochemicalmicrostructuralandantioxidativepropertiesofwheyproteinconcentrateencapsulated33diindolylmethanenanoparticles
AT mingruoguo ultrasoundinducedchangesinphysicochemicalmicrostructuralandantioxidativepropertiesofwheyproteinconcentrateencapsulated33diindolylmethanenanoparticles