Effect of coating material on microencapsulated phenolic compounds extracted from agroindustrial ciriguela peel residue

BACKGROUND Extract of ciriguela residue was microencapsulated by spray‐drying and freeze‐drying using maltodextrin (M), gum arabic (GA) and their mixture (50% M; 50% GA on dry basis) as encapsulating agents. Total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant activity, physicochemical properties, profile of phenolic compounds by HPLC with diode‐array detection and storage stability were evaluated. RESULTS TPC content of powders ranged from 306.9 to 451.2 mg gallic acid equivalent g −1 dry powder. The spray‐dried powder prepared using GA as encapsulating agent had higher TPC content and antioxidant activity, whereas the freeze‐dried powder had lower moisture and water activity. Spray‐dried microcapsules had spherical shape, whereas freeze‐dried products had irregular structures. The profile of phenolic compounds identified in samples was similar, with rutin (342.59 and 72.92 μg g −1 ) and quercetin (181.02 and 43.24 μg g −1 ) being the major compounds in liquid and freeze‐dried extracts, respectively, whereas myricetin (97.41 μg g −1 ) was predominant in spray‐dried ones. Storage stability tests carried out for 45 days at 7 or 25 °C revealed no statistically significant difference in TPC. CONCLUSION Ciriguela residue can be considered a source of TPC and used as ingredient with good antioxidant activity in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.