Microencapsulation of Hibiscus sabdariffa extract in taro starch: Determination of optimal conditions of bioactive compound retention using response surface methodology.

Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) extract contains a large amount of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and antihypertensive effects. The extraction of total phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins is more efficient at boiling temperature (~91 °C) than that performed at room temperature (~27 °C). In this study, a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to optimize the inlet temperature conditions of a spray dryer and the concentration of taro starch solids to obtain microcapsules with the highest retention of bioactive compounds in hibiscus extracts. Optimized microcapsules (OM) were obtained at an inlet temperature of 118 °C and solid concentration of 26.5 %. Low moisture content (4.54 %) and water activity (0.2) and high content of total phenols (3374.91 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (372.81 mg QE/100 g), monomeric anthocyanins (36.74 mg C-3-GE/100 g), and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity (80.01 %), were determined in OM using response surface methodology. OM showed a range of spherical agglomerate sizes (10--32 μm). These results indicate that CCRD is a good tool for establishing the optimal conditions for solid concentration and drying temperature to maximize the protection of bioactive compounds using taro starch as the wall material.