Moringa oleifera—Storage Stability, In Vitro-Simulated Digestion and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Microencapsulated Extract

Abstract

Moringa extract was microencapsulated for the first time by spray-drying technique using tragacanth gum (MorTG) to improve its stability under gastrointestinal and storage conditions, assessing total polyphenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Additionally, cytotoxicity of the microencapsulated components was evaluated after contact with Caco-2 cells. Results showed that TPC was released as follows—oral (9.7%) < gastric (35.2%) < intestinal (57.6%). In addition, the antioxidant activity in in vitro digestion reached up to 16.76 ±0.15 mg GAE g−1, which was 300% higher than the initial value. Furthermore, microencapsulated moringa extract presented a half-life up to 45 days of storage, where the noticeably change was observed at 35 °C and 52.9% relative humidity. Finally, direct treatment with 0.125 mg mL−1 MorTG on Caco-2 cells showed a slight antiproliferative effect, with a cell viability of approx. 87%. Caco-2 cells’ viability demonstrated non-cytotoxicity, supporting the safety of the proposed formulation and potential use within the food field.