Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction and Microencapsulation of Durvillaea incurvata Polyphenols: Toward a Stable Anti-Inflammatory Ingredient for Functional Foods

Durvillaea incurvata, a Chilean brown seaweed, exhibits high antioxidant activity and polyphenol content, positioning it as a promising candidate for developing bioactive food ingredients. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of an ethanolic extract of Durvillaea incurvata, produced via ultrasound-assisted extraction, and its subsequent microencapsulation to obtain a functional food-grade ingredient. The extract’s anti-inflammatory capacity was assessed in vitro through hyaluronidase inhibition, and its cytotoxicity was evaluated using gastrointestinal cell models (HT-29 and Caco-2). Microencapsulation was performed by spray-drying with maltodextrin, and encapsulation efficiency (EE) was optimized using response surface methodology. Characterization included scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. The extract exhibited low cytotoxicity (cell viability > 75%). Optimal encapsulation conditions (inlet temperature: 198.28 °C, maltodextrin: 23.11 g/100 g) yielded an EE of 72.7% ± 1.2% and extract recovery (R) of 45.9% ± 2.4%. The microparticles (mean diameter, 2.75 µm) exhibited a uniform morphology, shell formation, glassy microstructure, and suitable physicochemical properties (moisture, 3.4 ± 0.1%; water activity, 0.193 ± 0.004; hygroscopicity, 30.3 ± 0.4 g/100 g) for food applications. These findings support the potential of microencapsulated Durvillaea incurvata extract as an anti-inflammatory ingredient for functional food development.