The use of functional foods and nutraceuticals agent has grown rapidly. Delivering bioactive compounds like vitamins, polyphenols, essential oils, and probiotics faces a significant challenge due to their poor aqueous solubility, stability and low bioavailability and called for development of innovative delivery systems that is capable to enhance the stability, bioavailability, and controlled release of sensitive bioactive compounds. Among various encapsulation techniques, Ionic gelation, stands out as its essay, solvent-free encapsulation procedure that involved use of natural biopolymers such as chitosan and alginate, has emerged as a promising and eco-friendly strategy for protecting and delivering these compound. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the principles, mechanisms, and advantages of ionic gelation compared to conventional encapsulation methods. The review also critically discussed physicochemical interactions between oppositely charged polymers during gel formation and the factors affecting microcapsule properties, such as particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and release study. The application of ionic gelation-based microcapsules in the delivery of antioxidants, probiotics, polyphenols, vitamins, and essential oils within functional food matrices are examined. Furthermore, the review highlights the recent advancements in improving stability of microcapsules during processing and digestion, industrial scalability, regulatory aspects, and future perspectives in personalized nutrition and smart food systems. Overall, ionic gelation offers a flexible and eco-friendly system with significant potential to enhance the delivery and effectiveness of bioactive compounds in food and nutraceutical industries.
Ibrahim et al. (Wed,) studied this question.