Enhancing volatile retention and storage stability for encapsulated raspberry flavour powder.

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Food flavors are volatile compounds requiring specific solvents and surfactants for effective encapsulation.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the impact of solvents and surfactants on spray-dried flavor encapsulation and storage stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of different solvents and their ratios on the encapsulation efficiency, physical properties, and release behavior of raspberry flavor.
• To determine optimal solvent compositions for enhanced flavor retention and powder stability during spray drying and storage.

Main Methods:

• Spray drying was employed to encapsulate raspberry flavor using various combinations of triacetin, propylene glycol (PG), and ethanol as solvents.
• Analysis of volatile retention, physical powder properties, and flavor release profiles under accelerated storage conditions.

Main Results:

• The choice and ratio of solvents significantly affected the retention, physical properties, and release of encapsulated raspberry flavor.
• Triacetin combined with PG or ethanol enhanced the retention of low boiling point (< 200°C) and hydrophilic volatile compounds.
• A mixture of 75% triacetin and 25% PG resulted in improved powder stability and high flavor compound retention under accelerated storage.

Conclusions:

• Solvent selection and composition are critical for optimizing the encapsulation and release characteristics of volatiles in spray-dried powders.
• The study provides a basis for enhancing flavor encapsulation and stability through rational solvent system design.