Antifungal Synergistic Effect of Paprika and Cinnamon Oleoresins and Their Coencapsulation by Spray Chilling Technique to Produce a Carotenoid-Cinnamaldehyde-Rich Food Powder

Abstract

Oleoresins are natural extracts obtained from plants and spices. Cinnamaldehyde and carotenoids are the main compounds found in cinnamon and paprika oleoresins, respectively, and exhibit pronounced antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. The coencapsulation of the two oleoresins can promote greater stability and synergism between them. Microencapsulation by spray chilling generates solid lipid microparticles when the atomized matrix crystallizes in contact with the cold chamber. This technique allows greater trapping of volatile compounds as they are more soluble in lipid materials. This work’s main objective was to evaluate the synergistic antifungal effect between cinnamon and paprika oleoresins and their coencapsulation by spray chilling. Cinnamon:paprika (1:1 and 2:1) mixture showed a synergistic effect against Penicillium paneum and Aspergillus niger. The extracts also prevented the growth of microorganisms without direct contact with the agar. The microparticles showed a spherical surface and polymorphic β′-characteristic. Particles containing paprika oleoresin presented orange color, while samples with only cinnamon were off-white. The size distribution was multimodal with (D0.5) ranging from 13.6 μm for samples containing only cinnamon to 1152.7 μm for samples containing only paprika oleoresin. The storage temperature (5 and 25 °C) affected the release of cinnamaldehyde from the microparticles. Regarding the first 14 days, samples stored at 5 °C released more cinnamaldehyde compared to that stored at 25 °C. The concentration of carotenoids in the particles remained constant throughout the 49 days of storage for both temperatures. The coencapsulation of oleoresin from paprika and cinnamon made it possible to obtain a lipid coloring powder that has antimicrobial properties.