Improving the stability of oily turmeric extract by microencapsulation using spray drying technique.

Herein we report the microencapsulation of curcumin-rich oily turmeric extract using various combinations of whey protein isolates (WPI), gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) wall materials via spray drying technique. Prepared microcapsules were qualitatively analyzed by varying core- to wall material ratio (1:5 and 1:10, weight/weight), inlet air temperature of spray drying (180 and 190 °C) and coating material ratio (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3, w/w). The physicochemical properties and stability of the microcapsules were investigated under both light and dark at different temperatures (4, 25 and 50 °C) and pH (3.5, 4.6 and 7.0). Microcapsules produced with 1:5 core- to wall material ratio, 1:1 MD:WPI at 190 °C spray drying inlet temperature showed the least moisture content (1.79%), water activity (0.21 aw) and wettability time (57.48 s) and the highest solubility (96.40%), color intensity (292.62 h°) and microencapsulation efficiency (90.72%). The sample that gives the best result showed higher stability (21 days) at 4 °C and pH 7.0 under dark conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]