Microencapsulation of anthocyanin-rich extract of grumixama fruits (Eugenia brasiliensis) using non-conventional wall materials and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion

Scientific research on bioactive compounds extracted from fruits for health promotion has increased worldwide due to their technological potential and known biological effects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the microencapsulation of total anthocyanins (TA) and total phenolic compounds (TPC) from grumixama fruits (Eugenia brasiliensis) by spray-drying, utilizing both conventional (maltodextrin - MD and gum arabic - GA) and non-conventional wall materials, namely Psyllium husk (PY), Cassia tora gum (CT), and Mutamba gum (MG). Additionally, the effects of these wall materials on the bioaccessibility of TA were assessed through in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Microcapsules containing GA exhibited higher retention of anthocyanins (64 mg/100 g) and total phenolic compounds (1281 mg/100 g) compared to those with MD (60 and 545 mg/100 g, respectively). When microcapsules were produced with GA in combination with 1% of PY, CT, or MG, the release rate of TA and water absorption increased. The highest TA release rate was observed in microcapsules with MG, followed by PY and CT. However, microcapsules produced with GA and 1% CT showed the highest bioaccessibility for TA, which was 12 times higher than GA microcapsule. Therefore, using non-conventional wall materials (PY, CT, and MG) in combination with conventional ones (GA) enhanced both the technological and biological properties of the microcapsules. These findings open important avenues for further research on the application of bioactive compounds in the food industry and other sectors.