Hualu Zhou's Lab

Hualu Zhou's Lab

Forging a world-class lab in food science and technology

Health-promoting curcumin-infused milks (2023-2025)

1 minute read

Introduction

Curcumin, the key bioactive in turmeric, is well known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties but suffers from poor solubility and bioavailability. Incorporating curcumin into milk or plant-based milk systems overcomes these limitations by enhancing its stability, dispersibility, and bioaccessibility through the interactions with natural proteins and lipids.

Development of curcumin-infused soymilk via a pH-based strategy

Using a pH-based strategy, curcumin can be formulated directly from raw turmeric into stable nanoparticles within milk, reducing purification steps, energy use, and carbon emissions compared to conventional processing. This approach not only supports sustainable manufacturing but also enables the creation of functional, convenient, and preventive nutrition products, making curcumin-infused milks a model for the next generation of health-promoting and environmentally responsible foods.

drawing

Figure 1. Development of health-promoting curcumin-enhanced soymilk. The bioactive curcumin molecules can be directly extracted from raw turmeric material and then encapsulated into soymilk.

Reference

Csuti, A.; Zheng, B.; Zhou, H.* Post pH-driven encapsulation of polyphenols in next-generation foods: Principles, formation and applications. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2024, 64 (33), 12892-12906. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2023.2258214.

Suryamiharja, A.; Gong, X.; Akoh, C. C.; Zhou, H.* Enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of producing curcumin-infused plant-based milk alternatives with a two-in-one post pH-driven processing strategy. Food Frontiers 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.534.

Zhou, H.; Zheng, B.; McClements, D. J. Utilization of pH-driven methods to fortify nanoemulsions with multiple polyphenols. Food Science and Human Wellness 2024, 13 (4), 1943-1950. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26599/FSHW.2022.9250161.

Zheng, B.‡; Zhou, H.‡; McClements, D. J. Co-encapsulation of multiple polyphenols in plant-based milks: Formulation, gastrointestinal stability, and bioaccessibility. Foods 2023, 12 (18), 3432. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183432.

Zheng, B.‡; Zhou, H.‡; McClements, D. J. Nutraceutical-fortified plant-based milk analogs: Bioaccessibility of curcumin-loaded almond, cashew, coconut, and oat milks. LWT 2021, 147, 111517. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111517.