Abstract
The poor water-solubility and stability of capsaicin limits its widespread application in the industry. Spray-dried capsaicin microcapsules were fabricated using whey protein (WP) and octenyl-succinic-anhydride-modified starch (OS) as wall materials in this study. The aim is to investigate the impact of protein/starch ratio on microcapsules’ physicochemical characteristics and stability. SEM images showed that microcapsule granules were uneven in size, and irregular, with some wrinkles and dents. FTIR illustrated a chemical interaction between capsaicin and composite wall materials. XRD showed that the spray-dried powders were mainly in amorphous form. As the whey protein content decreased, the yield (9.32–68.18%), encapsulation efficiency (49.91–94.57%), wettability (158.87–232.63 s), and solubility (74.99–96.57%) of samples decreased, but the mean particle size (3.22–26.03 μm), apparent viscosity, and shear stress tended to increase. Besides, DSC revealed that the glass transition temperatures (Tg) of samples were at around 85 °C. Capsaicin microcapsules with WP:OS at the ratio of 7:3 possessed the highest Tg, and the best storage stability. Based on our research, microencapsulation significantly improved the stability and the water-solubility of capsaicin. A small amount of OSA-starch mixed with whey protein as a promising carrier for capsaicin would greatly promote the application of capsaicin in the food industry.
Highlights
The morphological characteristics of capsaicin emulsion observed from light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy are shown in Figure 2(A1 –G2 )
Capsaicin was dissolved in medium chain triglyceride (MCT), and stained with Nile red
Whey protein (WP):octenylsuccinic-anhydride-modified starch (OS) ratios of 10:0, 9:1, 7:3, and 5:5. This indicated that the capsaicin emulsions with higher WP content possessed great emulsifying capacity, and could effectively prevent the fusion between droplets
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. As one of the most critical carotenoids, capsaicin (C40 H56 O3 ), with a strong spicy taste, can be obtained from ripe red pepper fruits. Its healthy and valuable functions have been observed, such as anti-oxidation, anticancer, and great coloration [1]. Capsaicin is extensively used in nutritious products and pharmaceutical preparations [2]. Some less-than-ideal properties, including low water-solubility, poor stability, and pungency limit the widespread application of capsaicin
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