The use of spray drying to microencapsulate 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, a major flavour component of aromatic rice

Different ratios of gum acacia and maltodextrins were used to investigate the appropriate wall materials for encapsulation, by spray drying, of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (ACPY). This compound, which is the major flavour component of aromatic rice, was extracted from pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) leaves by steam distillation. The amounts of ACPY before and after spray drying encapsulation were not significantly different (P < 0.05). Better retention of ACPY was obtained by encapsulation. In its liquid form ACPY degraded quickly as 63% reduction occurred in a basic solution after 7 days; however, only 30% reduction was found in acidic solution after 35 days of storage. After 72 days of storage, the amount of ACPY in encapsulated powders made with differing amounts of gum acacia and maltodextrin decayed as follows: ratios of gum acacia:maltodextrin of 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70 and 0:100 gave the following amounts of degradation of 27.7, 33.4, 43.2, 35.7, 30.6 and 32.6% respectively. Encapsulation in 70:30 gum acacia:maltodextrin gave the best retention of ACPY.