Microparticles of yellow-orange cactus pear pulp (Opuntia ficus-indica) with cladode mucilage and maltodextrin as a food coloring in yogurt

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There is an increasing interest in the use of natural food colorants to substitute synthetic dyes that are health harmful. In this study, encapsulation conditions of yellow-orange cactus pear Opuntia ficus-indica pulp (P), were determined using maltodextrin (MD) as the encapsulating agent (EA). The effect of three encapsulating agents (cactus mucilage (M), MD, and mucilage-maltodextrin (M+MD) blend) on microparticle's characteristics, stability, and performance as a colorant in yogurt was assessed at optimal conditions determined by Response Surface Methodology. Optimal conditions for encapsulation with MD were inlet air temperature 150 °C and a 3:1 ratio, where pulp:encapsulating agent ratio had more influence than the temperature in the yield during encapsulation. Indicaxanthin encapsulation efficiency and yield were 100% and 51.2% (P-MD), 87% and 7% (P-M), and 93% and 11% (P-M+MD), respectively. P-MD system showed higher indicaxanthin stability and less color change stored at 60 °C. However, P-MD and P-M+MD microparticles were successfully tested as colorants in yogurt, and both colorants showed similar performance and stability (over 80% indicaxanthin retention). Cactus cladode mucilage with the addition of maltodextrin could be the encapsulating agent for yellow-orange cactus pear pulp, thus providing pigment protection as a yellow colorant for yogurt.