Sustainable valorization of porcine placenta through microencapsulation: a circular economy approach to functional ingredient development

The increasing volume of porcine placenta, a nutrient-rich slaughterhouse byproduct, poses waste management challenges in Thailand's expanding pork industry. This study aimed to valorize porcine placenta by extracting bioactive compounds and developing shelf-stable microcapsules for functional food and pharmaceutical applications. Hexane-based fat removal reduced protein content by 24% and antioxidant activity (DPPH: 2.61 ± 0.08 mM TE/g db; FRAP: 4.80 ± 0.27 mM FeSO₄/g db) but preserved protein profiles (25–100 kDa). Spray drying with gum arabic (40% w/v, 165 °C inlet temperature) achieved the highest protein retention (3.93 mg/g) and encapsulation efficiency (97.99%), producing microcapsules with low water activity (0.08–0.11), moisture content (2.28–4.08%), and glass transition temperatures (44.1–61.5 °C). Vacuum-sealed aluminum foil packaging maintained quality over 90 days at room temperature. This novel approach upcycles animal-derived waste into a stable, bioactive ingredient, advancing circular economy principles by reducing waste and offering sustainable applications in food and nutraceutical sectors.