Microencapsulation optimization of natural anthocyanins with maltodextrin, gum Arabic and gelatin.

The barberry (Berberis vulgaris) extract which is a rich source of anthocyanins was used for spray drying encapsulation with three different wall materials, i.e., combination of maltodextrin and gum Arabic (MD+GA), maltodextrin and gelatin (MD+GE), and maltodextrin (MD). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied for optimization of microencapsulation efficiency and physical properties of encapsulated powders considering wall material type as well as different ratios of core to wall materials as independent variables. Physical characteristics of spray-dried powders were investigated by further analyses of moisture content, hygroscopicity, degree of caking, solubility, bulk and absolute density, porosity, flowability and microstructural evaluation of encapsulated powders. Our results indicated that samples produced with MD+GA as wall materials represented the highest process efficiency and best powder quality; the optimum conditions of microencapsulation process for barberry anthocyanins were found to be the wall material content and anthocyanin load of 24.54% and 13.82%, respectively. Under such conditions, the microencapsulation efficiency (ME) of anthocyanins could be as high as 92.83%.

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction of cottonseed oil and evaluation of its oxidative stability and physicochemical properties.

Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) is a novel method, which can reduce the extraction time and solvent consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of MAE on oxidative stability and physicochemical properties of cottonseed oil. We found that the optimum extraction conditions were: irradiation time 3.57 min; cottonseed moisture content 14% and cottonseed to solvent ratio 1:4, which resulted in an extraction efficiency of 32.6%, 46 ppm total phenolic content, 0.7% free fatty acids, peroxide value of 0.2 and 11.5 h of Rancimat oxidative stability at 110 °C. GC analysis for MAE cottonseed oil determined palmitic acid (23.6%), stearic acid (2.3%), oleic acid (15.6%) and linoleic acid (55.1%), which were not significant different (P>0.05) than conventionally-extracted (control) cottonseed oil. MAE oil samples from whole cottonseed (without dehulling) had the greatest long-term stability, more than oil samples containing BHT.