Vol. 9, Issue 8, Part L (2025)

Iron deficiency anemia remains the most prevalent nutritional disorder globally, highlighting the urgent need for effective iron fortification strategies. Encapsulation of iron in food-grade matrices offers a promising approach to improve stability, bioavailability, and sensory acceptance. This study aimed to standardize the encapsulation of iron-fortified whey protein concentrate (WPC-Fe) using alginate hydrogels through ionotropic gelation. WPC-Fe complexes were prepared at a protein-to-iron ratio of 40:1 and incorporated into alginate solutions (1.0-2.0%, w/v), followed by cross-linking in calcium chloride solutions (3%, 5%, and 10%, w/v) at different pH levels (3, 5, and 7). The stability and bursting behavior of the beads were evaluated in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7). Results showed that no bead formation occurred at pH 3, while stable beads were formed at pH 5 and 7. Beads cross-linked with calcium chloride concentrations of 3% to 10% exhibited improved structural integrity. In phosphate buffer, most beads burst within 1 h, except for a few formulations prepared with 2% WPC-Fe/alginate and higher calcium chloride concentrations at pH 5 and 7. Comparable bursting behavior was observed for WPC and WPC-Fe beads, suggesting that protein-iron interactions did not enhance resistance against phosphate-induced destabilization. The findings demonstrate that pH and calcium chloride concentration are critical factors influencing bead formation and stability.