α- and β-Carotene Stability during Storage of Microspheres Obtained from Spray-Dried Microencapsulation Technology

Abstract

This study was aimed at comparing the stability of carotenes (α- and β-carotene) in oil solutions with their stability when spray-dried encapsulation is applied. The carotenes were isolated from carrot. A storage test was subsequently performed. The stability of carotenes in oil solutions was determined with the HPlC method. The color of the samples was also analyzed. The oil solutions of carotenes were microencapsulated with the spray-drying method. A mixture of gum Arabic and maltodextrin was used as a matrix. Degradation of carotenes during storage of the oil solutions followed first-order kinetics. The energies of activation were 58.7 and 33.6 kJ/mol for α- and β-carotene, respectively. Among the studied factors (time, daylight, temperature), it was the time and the temperature that influenced carotenes degradation the most. Spray-drying encapsulation caused a significant decrease in the content of carotenes. However, retention of pigments stored in microspheres was longer than retention of pigments stored as oil solutions.