Microencapsulation optimization of cinnamon essential oil in the matrices of gum Arabic, maltodextrin, and inulin by spray‐drying using mixture design

Abstract A simple centroid mixture design was used to optimize the ratio of the wall materials for the production of the cinnamon essential oil microcapsules by spray‐drying. Gum Arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), and inulin (IN) were used as wall materials. Four parameters were evaluated as responses, containing the surface cinnamaldehyde, the encapsulation efficiency of cinnamaldehyde, the release of cinnamaldehyde (RC), and powder recovery (PR). The cinnamon essential oil was purely formed of cinnamaldehyde (about 99.96%), based on results obtained from the gas chromatography device. The multiple response optimization analysis showed that the optimum compound concentration for walls will be 27.87% wt/wt GA, 27.59% MD, and 44.53% IN. It can be concluded that the optimal compound was suitable to the RC in the mouth medium due to its Tg. The microscopy images of the optimal compound showed a smooth surface, spherical, and slight crack in the microparticles. Furthermore, the optimum compound improved the stability of antioxidant activity compared to the pure oil during 30 days storage. It was observed that the Fickian diffusion was the main mechanism involved in the release process of the microencapsulated cinnamon essential oil in the mouth medium. Practical Applications In the food industry, the major aromatic components utilized are essential oils, synthetic flavoring agents, and natural oleoresin. The key constituent of cinnamon essential oil is cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamaldehyde is often used as a flavoring agent, but its importance as a natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiseptic agent has recently been established. The knowledge of encapsulation techniques allows the control of the bioactive components, the release time, and the dosage of essential oil in the structure of the food. Moreover, the encapsulation of essential oils helps to reduce the oxidation of process by exposure to the environment, increasing the shelf life and the solubility. The results of this work lead to the use of flavored components for implementation in similar products, thereby improving their flavor.