Enhanced bioaccessibility of a hesperidin-rich blood orange extract after encapsulation in alginate/chitosan microcapsules.

Blood orange pulp extract was encapsulated using the ionic gelation method with an alginate/chitosan polymeric matrix to enhance the bioaccessibility of its bioactive compounds. The extract exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity (FRAP, ABTS, ORAC) and had a significant inhibitory effect on intestinal disaccharidases, with 55.9 % inhibition of sucrase, suggesting its potential application as a natural agent for postprandial glycemic control. Hesperidin was quantified as the main flavonoid in the extract (18.87 mg/g) and encapsulation efficiency was 70.07 %, indicating good retention of this compound in the biopolymeric matrix. Simulated digestion revealed that encapsulation provided significant protection from gastric degradation, with an increase in the hesperidin bioaccessibility index from 2.96 in the extract to 26.2 l% in the microcapsules (p < 0.001). These results demonstrate that encapsulation is an effective strategy for improving the stability and bioaccessibility of hesperidin, supporting its use in functional and health-promoting products.