Production of Propolis Extract Microparticles with Concentrated Pea Protein for Application in Food

The objectives of this study were to produce microparticles of propolis extract (PE), using concentrated pea protein (CPP) at different concentrations as the encapsulation wall material, and to analyze its physical, morphological, and thermal stability properties. In addition, the microparticles with the highest encapsulation efficiency were incorporated into a cake to verify their impact on the physical characteristics, phenolic compounds content, antioxidant activity, and sensory attributes of cakes. Of the three formulations of CPP tested (2, 4, and 6% weight: volume), microparticles with 2% CPP showed the highest encapsulation efficiency. All the microparticles presented similar morphology, with different roughness and sizes, and with superior thermal stability in relation to the pure PE. The 2% CPP formulation was added during the making of the cake. There was a reduction in the total content of phenolic compounds (<49%) and in the antioxidant activity (<44%) of the microparticles after baking. The fortified cake resulted in characteristics of flavor, odor, color, and texture similar to those of the control cake.