Microcapsules with amazonian buriti fruit oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) on maintaining oxidative stability of ground beef

Abstract

The addition of bioactive compounds is essential for enhancing the flavor and extending the shelf life of meat products. Buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.), rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and fatty acids, is a promising alternative, and encapsulation has proven effective in preserving these compounds during processing. This study aimed to develop microcapsules of Buriti oil (MOB) using the spray drying technique and evaluated their morphology, encapsulation efficiency, physical and thermal properties, total phenolics, fatty acid profile, and carotenoid content. Additionally, different concentrations of microcapsules (0.40%, 0.60%, 0.75% w/w) were applied as an antioxidant vehicle in ground burgers stored for 12 days at 4 °C. The shelf life analyses included water activity, pH, cooking loss, lipid oxidation, and color parameters. The microcapsules of Buriti oil were successfully developed, showing good morphology, with a drying yield of 24.41%, a total phenolic concentration of 351.11 mg GAE/100 g⁻¹, carotenoids encapsulation efficiency of 80.07%, vitamin A concentration of 34.38 μg EAR⁻¹, and a predominance of 70.5% oleic acid. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of fatty acids. The microcapsules exhibited good thermal stability and effective antioxidant activity at a concentration of 0.40% w/w. The microcapsules of Buriti oil from the Amazonian fruit (Mauritia flexuosa L.) emerge as a promising source of bioactive compounds such as total phenolic, carotenoids, and fatty acids, acting as a potential effective antioxidant for the preservation of ground burgers.