Production and characterization of vitamin D3 loaded starch nanoparticles: effect of amylose to amylopectin ratio and sonication parameters.

Two types of starches with different amylose to amylopectin ratios were used for the production of vitamin D3 loaded nanoparticles and effects of starch type, sonication time and temperature on physicochemical properties of nanocarriers were investigated. Both high amylose corn and potato starches nanocarriers had granular structure with particle size ranging from 32.04 to 99.2 nm and the encapsulation efficiency ranging from 22.34 to 94.8%. The results showed that potato starch nanoparticles had larger size, higher zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and encapsulation load and lower polydispersity index values in comparison to high amylose corn starch nanoparticle. Increase in sonication time reduced the size of nanoparticles in both starch types and decreasing temperature led to reduction of particle size and increase of zeta potential. Physicochemical features of nanocarriers were analyzed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that vitamin D3 is well incorporated in carriers and ultrasonic treatment led to increase of hydrocarbon chain that resulted in van der Waals and hydrogen bonds of vitamin D3 with the potato starch and greater thermal stability.