Non-covalent associations of cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins) with carotenoids in water. A study on the alfa- and beta-cyclodextrin/Lycopene systems by light scattering, ionspray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry

Water soluble complexes of the dietary carotenoid lycopene (1) with alfa- and beta-cyclodextrin (aCD, bCD) have been prepared and characterized via multi angle light scattering (MALS), ionspray/electrospray (IS/ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem MS. MALS experiments point out that large aggregates of particles, in the nanometer size scale, are present in water, with meaningful difference in the shape of the aCD/1 aggregates with respect to bCD/1 analogues. The true 1:1 aCD/1 inclusion complex has been observed by IS/ESI-MS and confirmed by tandem MS. A discussion on the nature of CDs/1 aggregations in water is proposed, consistently with the combined MALS and MS experimental results.