Encapsulation of oleoresins for salt reduction in food

In our study, oleoresins were explored for their ability to replace the original ground spice and herbs with a standardized taste and aroma, and mask the salt reduction. In order to protect taste and aroma oleoresins from high temperature, and to improve their solubility in food matrices, encapsulation with inulin and maltodextrin was carried out from two mixtures of oleoresins using two drying processes (spray and freeze drying), thus allowing it to be used as an additive to reduce salt for convenience in the food industry.

The oleoresins experiment was conducted with two mixtures to apply to meat and fish. Oleoresins were obtained by solvent extraction, and the solvent was removed by evaporation, encapsulated into inulin and maltodextrin microcapsules, and powdered by spray and freeze drying. Physicochemical analyses were carried out using several methods (drying yields, water activity, solubility, hygroscopicity, color, encapsulation efficiency), and characterization of the microcapsules was done by scanning electron microscopy. The total phenolic compounds were quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteau method, and the chemical compounds present in the microcapsules were elucidated by high resolution mass spectrometry.

Freeze and spray drying the microcapsules presented good quality products with high yields, high encapsulation efficiency and good solubility. The spray drying process can offer better applications for the food industry due to the more regular shape of the microcapsules. In addition, inulin microcapsules obtained by spray drying showed a more protective effect for flavonoid compounds in fish oleoresins, while maltodextrin microcapsules offered more protection for hydroxycinnamic acids in meat oleoresins.

The present study shows an attractive encapsulation system for non-volatile compounds from oleoresins, which results in standardized taste and aroma products that can reduce salt in food systems with different compositions.