Insight into the effect of microcapsule technology on the processing stability of mulberry polyphenols

Abstract Polyphenols are potential food additives due to their antioxidant and pigment property, although their large-scale utilization in hot processed food is not available yet due to the poor processing stability. The present study investigated the effect of microencapsulation strategy on the processing stability of mulberry polyphenols (MP). The optimal preparation parameters for MP-β-cyclodextrin microcapsule (MPM) were treated by ultrasound at 450 W, 25 °C for 1.5 h with a core/wall ratio of 1:6. The MPM formed was verified by the UV absorption, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and derivative thermogravimetry (TG) via the shifts and intensity of the peaks. Under the optimized condition, the encapsulation efficiencies of the active ingredients including total polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins in the MPM were above 97%; the processing stability including light, thermal and storage stability of the MP were remarkably improved. The above results suggest that encapsulation could be a potential strategy for improving the processing stability of plant polyphenols, probably leading to a more efficient application of plant polyphenols in hot processed food area.