Characterization and storage stability of chlorophylls microencapsulated in different combination of gum Arabic and maltodextrin.

Detailed investigations on the physicochemical and structural characterization of chlorophyll loaded microcapsules and their storage stability have not previously been conducted. Therefore, our objective was to encapsulate unstable chlorophylls using different blends of gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) (GA-MD ratios of 5:5, 3:7, and 0:10) by spray-drying to improve storage stability of chlorophylls. An increase in concentration of MD in wall materials was associated with lower moisture content (0.56%), higher encapsulation efficiency (77.19%), chlorophyll content (46.78 µg/g dry powder), degree of crystallinity, and thermal stability of microcapsules. Furthermore, FTIR, XRD, and DSC analyses confirmed inclusion of chlorophylls within microcapsules. The entrapment of chlorophylls within microcapsules enhanced their storage stability at all temperatures (4, 20, and 40 °C) for ten days; notably, microcapsules coated with MD alone showed the highest storage stability (94.7-97.5%). In conclusion, microencapsulation of chlorophylls using MD alone was optimal for enhancing chlorophylls' storage stability.