Curcumin-loaded antioxidant oleogels based on native and modified bean starches

Abstract

Oleogels show promise in the food industry as potential substitutes for saturated fats, providing a medium for incorporating bioactive compounds. Starch modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) can serve as a structuring agent for vegetable oils due to its amphiphilic nature. This study aimed to develop oleogels based on native starch (NS) or modified starch (MS) bean, sunflower oil, beeswax, and curcumin. The oleogels were evaluated for gel hardness, oil holding capacity, structural stability, weight loss, X-ray diffraction, peroxide value, and antioxidant activity during 30 days of storage. The modification reduced the amylose content by 36%, viscosity by 32%, breakdown by 78%, and retrogradation by 54% of the starch. The oleogels exhibited structural stability and oil binding capacity above 96% during 30 days. Oleogels with NS and 0.5% curcumin were 20% softer than those without curcumin. Over 30 days, the hardness of the oleogels increased by 21%–48%. The addition of 0.5% curcumin in native and OSA starch oleogels increased their antioxidant activities to 41% and 35%, respectively. The texture and antioxidant properties of the oleogels indicate the feasibility of their application in food products.