Assessment of production efficiency, physicochemical properties and storage stability of spray-dried chlorophyllide, a natural food colourant, using gum Arabic, maltodextrin and soy protein isolate-based carrier systems

P>The aim of this research was to study spray drying as potential action to protect chlorophyllide from environmental conditions for shelf-life extension and characterisation of the powders. Six formulations were prepared with 7.5 and 10 g of carrier agents [gum Arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MA) and soybean protein isolate (SPI)]/100 mL of chlorophyllide solutions. The powders were evaluated for morphological characteristics (SEM), particle size, water activity, moisture, density, hygroscopicity, cold water solubility, sorption isotherms, colour and stability, during 90 days. All the powders were highly soluble, with solubility values around 97%. A significant lower hygroscopicity was observed for GA powders, whilst the lower X(m) values obtained by GAB equation fitting of the sorption isotherms was observed for the 7.5 g MA/100 mL samples. All formulations, but the 1 (7.5 g SPI/100 mL of chlorophyllide), provided excellent stability to the chlorophyllide during 90 days of storage even at room temperature.