# Properties and Stability of Encapsulated Pomegranate Peel Extract Prepared by Co-Crystallization
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Morphology with Scanning Electron Microscopy  
Figure 3 depicts the morphology of pure crystalline sucrose, co-crystallized sucrose without the active component, and co-crystallized sucrose with the encapsulated ingredient as determined with scanning electron microscopy. Starting with pure sucrose, a smooth, void-free surface with tiny, sharp corners is seen. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [16] and [PERSON] et al. [21] also came to similar conclusions and stated that the particular arrangement is caused by the consecutive positions of the atoms in the sucrose molecules. It is evident from looking at the micrograph of the co-crystallized sucrose without the addition of the encapsulated component that the structure of the sucrose has changed, with gaps appearing between the crystals but the corners remaining sharp, proving the retention of crystallinity. When encapsulating carotenoid extract, [PERSON] et al. [15] reported reaching a similar finding.  
Interstices with significant porosity are also visible in the micrograph of the co-crystallized sucrose with the active component. Additionally, the amorphous regions  
Figure 3: SEM microphotographs of (**a**) pure crystalline sucrose; (**b**) co-crystallized sucrose without the active ingredient; (**c**) co-crystallized sucrose with the encapsulated ingredient.  
and sharp corners at the interstices occur simultaneously, indicating that the pomegranate peel extract is still in an amorphous form between the sucrose crystal gaps. As the low-molecular-weight sugars of the phenolic extract that remained on the surface tended to absorb moisture, it has been discovered that the extract is also on the surface of the sucrose crystals in some locations, which confirms the hygroscopicity value. Almost all research teams that used scanning electron microscopy came to the same conclusion: the active ingredient was found between the gaps and was kept in its original form in all of their crystalline products. After co-crystallization, sucrose's solid, compressed, flawless crystal structure transforms into asymmetrical, agglomerated, and spongy crystals with larger voids and surface areas, according to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [16], who encapsulated extract from discarded chokeberries. Similar findings were reported by researchers who explored the co-crystallization of yerba mate extract, cardamom oleoresin, and cranberry extract, such as [PERSON] et al. [20], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [9], and [PERSON] and [PERSON] [8].  
On the other hand, when PPE is encapsulated by spray drying, the particles' shape is different. The encapsulated powders were reported to be spherical with uneven surfaces that displayed indentations by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [35], who utilized conventional wall materials and orange juice by-products as encapsulating agents. This indicates that the walls had solidified before swelling commenced. The microcapsules with orange waste had a corrugated, spherical surface and the particles had few splits or fissures in comparison to capsules manufactured from maltodextrin and skimmed milk. [PERSON] et al. [41] claim that crashes created during encapsulation cause increased heat exposure during drying as well as increased exposure to bioactive chemicals within particles. Similar discrepancies were documented by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [16], who encapsulated chokeberry extract using both spray drying and co-crystallization. The spray-dried product includes round particles, a matte surface, and wall spaces, some of which may be caused by air entrained during homogenization or atomization [32; 42]. The co-crystallized encapsulated extracts, on the other hand, exhibited aggregates and porous co-crystals.