ORCID

0009-0004-3572-2537

Keywords

Nanotechnology, Green Tea, Catechin, Bioavailability, Nanoparticle

Abstract

The brewing of teas has been an integral pillar of human food culture for millennia. These beverages have always aimed to extract the phytochemicals from berries, leaves, and many other food products. Leaves from Camellia sinensis are used to prepare green, black, white, oolong, and pu’er teas that are highly regarded for their organoleptic properties. Moreover, many of the widely regarded health benefits are ascribed to the high polyphenolic content within the teas. It has been established that polyphenols can interact with hydrophilic polymers, through hydrogen bonding, to form stable small particle suspensions. In this work, polymer-catechin nanoparticles were synthesized in situ to load and deliver active ingredients without requiring any behavioral change by the end user. Particle size and morphology were assessed via dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the chemical composition of the particle was studied with Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. A 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was utilized to assess radical scavenging activity and a Folin-Ciocâlteu (FC) assay was also utilized to quantify the polyphenolic concentration. Furthermore, a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was employed with a resazurin cell viability assay to assess the impact of the nanoparticle on model gut microbes. The co-loading of hibiscus anthocyanins, turmeric curcuminoids, and metal ions exemplify the system’s ability to load a wide range of compounds and food products for the selection of desired particle characteristics. These findings demonstrate the potential to create a simple and economical alternative to nutraceutical delivery simply by the brewing of tea.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Santra, Swadeshmukul

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Graduate Studies

Department

NanoScience Technology Center

Identifier

DP0029277

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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