Microparticles of yellow-orange cactus pear pulp (Opuntia ficus-indica) with cladode mucilage and maltodextrin as a food coloring in yogurt

There is an increasing interest in the use of natural food colorants to substitute synthetic dyes that are health harmful. In this study, encapsulation conditions of yellow-orange cactus pear Opuntia ficus-indica pulp (P), were determined using maltodextrin (MD) as the encapsulating agent (EA). The effect of three encapsulating agents (cactus mucilage (M), MD, and mucilage-maltodextrin (M+MD) blend) on microparticle's characteristics, stability, and performance as a colorant in yogurt was assessed at optimal conditions determined by Response Surface Methodology. Optimal conditions for encapsulation with MD were inlet air temperature 150 degrees C and a 3:1 ratio, where pulp:encapsulating agent ratio had more influence than the temperature in the yield during encapsulation. Indicaxanthin encapsulation efficiency and yield were 100% and 51.2% (P-MD), 87% and 7% (P-M), and 93% and 11% (P-M+MD), respectively. P-MD system showed higher indicaxanthin stability and less color change stored at 60 degrees C. However, P-MD and P-M+MD microparticles were successfully tested as colorants in yogurt, and both colorants showed similar performance and stability (over 80% indicaxanthin retention). Cactus cladode mucilage with the addition of maltodextrin could be the encapsulating agent for yellow-orange cactus pear pulp, thus providing pigment protection as a yellow colorant for yogurt.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated that encapsulation of yellow-orange cactus pear pulp with maltodextrin can be used as a yellow colorant for yogurt with high stability.