EFFECT OF DIFFERENT BIOPOLYMERS ON STABILITY OF CAROTENOIDS FROM PAPRIKA OLEORESIN ENCAPSULATED BY SPRAY DRYING

Paprika oleoresin (PO) is a byproduct of red peppers containing natural pigments, which are responsible for antioxidant properties in food, apart from beneficial activities in the human system, including therapeutic effects for various chronic diseases. Due to their low solubility and instability of carotenoids in a wide temperature range, their encapsulation is an alternative to increase paprika oleoresin application. This research aimed at studying the influence of different encapsulating materials on the microencapsulation of paprika oleoresin by spray drying and stability of its carotenoids during storage. Emulsions were prepared using a rotor-stator (Silverson; L5M-A) at 5000 rpm for 10 min containing 20.5% of total solids, in which 20% (w/w) of material encapsulating (gum Arabic (GA) and modified starches, as EMCAP and Snowflake (SN), plus 2.5% (w/w) of PO in relation to the polymer concentration. After that, emulsions were characterized by droplet size, size distribution, and stability index (TSI). These formulations were submitted to spray drying, and microparticles were evaluated in relation to physicochemical analysis, microstructure, encapsulation efficiency, and stability of PO for 45 days at 25 and 35 ºC. Results showed small droplet size, good stability with TSI lower than 3% after 2h of preparation for all emulsions. The microparticles presented irregular surfaces with cavity formation, spherical shape, absence of cracks, bimodal distribution and diameter D [4,3] ranging from 9.2 to 31.3 μm. Powders had low values for water acitivity and moisture, high solubility index and great encapsulation efficiency of oleoresin (>90%). Stability data showed the highest carotenoids retention using EMCAP, and the greatest protection promoted by SN as wall material at 25 and 35 ºC in relation to free oleoresin. These results revealed the influence of bipoloymers on powder properties and suggest the use of the microparticles as coloring agent in the foodstuff applications.