Abstract
Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the wall materials on the microencapsulation of pequi oil. An emulsion containing pequi oil in the oil phase was microencapsulated by spray drying process at 120 °C using gum Arabic, maltodextrin, or a 25:75 (w/w) mixture of gum Arabic and maltodextrin as wall material. The emulsions were characterized for droplet size, Polydispersity Index (PDI), and zeta potential. Pequi oil microparticles were analyzed for moisture content, water activity, wettability, encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and color. Ultrastructural examination was performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The Droplet Size Distribution (DSD) of the emulsions exhibited a relatively wide size distribution (2.67 to 8.96 μm) and high PDI (> 0.3). Smooth microparticles with high encapsulation efficiency (79.17% to 84.20%), and good antioxidant capacity (28.20 to 28.71 μmol Trolox equivalents/g dry extract) were obtained. Microparticles prepared using gum Arabic as wall material had higher antioxidant capacity than that prepared with maltodextrin. All microparticles had satisfactory encapsulation efficiency, water activity, moisture content, and wettability. These results indicate that pequi oil microparticles have characteristics that can contribute to good stability during storage and handling of encapsulated oil. Therefore, pequi oil can be successfully encapsulated by spray drying using gum Arabic, maltodextrin, or 25:75 (w/w) mixture of gum Arabic and maltodextrin as wall materials, but the physicochemical properties of microparticles vary with wall material composition.
Highlights
The Brazilian Cerrado is known for its rich diversity of fruits of vibrant colors, peculiar flavors, and high nutritional and medicinal values
The largest droplet size was obtained using maltodextrin as encapsulanting agent (8.96 μm), while the emulsion prepared from the maltodextrin and gum Arabic mixture showed the smallest one (2.67)
The largest diameter of the droplets may be related to the greater instability of this emulsion, which may have caused the rapid coalescence of droplets after the homogenisation process (Carvalho et al, 2014)
Summary
The Brazilian Cerrado is known for its rich diversity of fruits of vibrant colors, peculiar flavors, and high nutritional and medicinal values. Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.), an oleaginous fruit from the Cerrado, has high antioxidant capacity and high content of fat-soluble vitamins, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids (Mendonça et al, 2017; Pessoa et al, 2015). Spray drying can afford microparticles with good quality and stability, low water activity, and easy handling and storage (Carneiro et al, 2013). This process involves the formation of an emulsion, solution or suspension containing the core and wall material, followed by atomization in a drying chamber with circulating hot air (Carvalho et al, 2014)
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