Thermal, structural and chemical characterization of response surface optimized spice oleoresin blend microcapsules
摘要
This study aimed to optimize the microencapsulation of spray-dried spice oleoresin blend, specifically for sambar-a staple food in Indian cuisine, using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box-Behnken design of 17 runs. The effects of inlet air temperature (150–170 °C), oleoresin concentration (10–20%), and maltodextrin-gum arabic (MD-GA) ratio (1:1 to 3:1) were studied to maximize encapsulation yield and efficiency. Optimal conditions were identified as 150 °C inlet temperature, MD-GA ratio of 1.2:1, and 13.54% oleoresin concentration. At this point, the microcapsules exhibited an encapsulation yield of 88.21%, efficiency of 79.87%, hygroscopicity of 7.15%, and solubility of 88.36%. XRD analysis confirmed their amorphous nature, SEM revealed smooth morphology, and DSC-TGA indicated excellent thermal stability (Tg = 140 °C). FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of various functional groups such as O-H stretching vibrations from hydroxyl groups, C-H stretching vibrations from alkanes, C = O stretching vibrations from esters and C = C stretching and C-H bending vibrations from phenolic compounds. The retention values of non-volatile and volatile compounds indicated that the major active compounds are highly stable during the spray drying process. Among the non-volatile compounds analysed, trigonelline exhibited highest retention (96.66%), followed by capsaicin (96%) and curcumin (95.48%). Piperine (95.12%) and ferulic acid (95.06%) also demonstrated strong retention, suggesting that these active components remain intact after spray drying. Conversely, α-pinene showed a slightly lower retention (92.92%), whereas linalool (90.6%) and cuminaldehyde (90.81%) exhibited the least retention among the volatile compounds analysed. These results demonstrated the efficacy of MD-GA as wall materials for enhancing stability and potential food applications.