Green tea is a source of valuable compounds for the human body: phenols, flavonoids (catechins), amino acids, vitamins (B, C, E), xanthine bases (caffeine, theophylline), pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids), volatile compounds, polysaccharides and trace elements K, Mn, Cr, Ni and Zn). Flavonoids of tea contribute to the prevention of a number of diseases: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. Catechins of green tea can also act as antitumor agents. Given that the physiological activity of biologically active compounds depends to a large extent on the size of the capsules, and the therapeutic effectiveness of flavonoids, solubility may play an important role, the goal of the article is to determine the size and properties of the nanostructured green tea extract as a promising nano-ingredient of functional food products. Investigations of the properties of the nanostructured extract of green tea were carried out using the methods of Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, self-organization and analysis of trajectories of nanoparticles. As a result, nanocapsules containing green tea extract show supramolecular properties, are able to dissolve in water, and the average nanocapsule size is from 148 to 331 nm. In this case, the size of the nanocapsules of the extract of green tea essentially depends on the nature of the carbohydrate shell and the core: shell ratio. So, with the ratio of the core: shell 1: 3 in alginate and agar-agar, the size of the nanoparticles is 157 nm, and in chitosan – 331 nm, and the ratio of the core: shell 1: 1 in chitosan, the size of nanoparticles was already 148 nm. Given that the bioavailability of biologically active substances depends on the particle size, it can be assumed that the nanostructured extracts of green tea obtained will have greater bioavailability and can be used as nano-ingredients in functional foods.
Green tea is a source of valuable compounds for the human body: phenols, flavonoids (catechins), amino acids, vitamins (B, C, E), xanthine bases (caffeine, theophylline), pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids), volatile compounds, polysaccharides and trace elements K, Mn, Cr, Ni and Zn). Flavonoids of tea contribute to the prevention of a number of diseases: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. Catechins of green tea can also act as antitumor agents. Given that the physiological activity of biologically active compounds depends to a large extent on the size of the capsules, and the therapeutic effectiveness of flavonoids, solubility may play an important role, the goal of the article is to determine the size and properties of the nanostructured green tea extract as a promising nano-ingredient of functional food products. Investigations of the properties of the nanostructured extract of green tea were carried out using the methods of Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, self-organization and analysis of trajectories of nanoparticles. As a result, nanocapsules containing green tea extract show supramolecular properties, are able to dissolve in water, and the average nanocapsule size is from 148 to 331 nm. In this case, the size of the nanocapsules of the extract of green tea essentially depends on the nature of the carbohydrate shell and the core: shell ratio. So, with the ratio of the core: shell 1: 3 in alginate and agar-agar, the size of the nanoparticles is 157 nm, and in chitosan – 331 nm, and the ratio of the core: shell 1: 1 in chitosan, the size of nanoparticles was already 148 nm. Given that the bioavailability of biologically active substances depends on the particle size, it can be assumed that the nanostructured extracts of green tea obtained will have greater bioavailability and can be used as nano-ingredients in functional foods.