Abstract:
Vanilla is one of the minor spices, most popular flavoring agent and
second most expensive spice in the world. Vanillin flavour is highly volatile, heat
sensitive and application in food incorporation is limited; this can be minimized
by encapsulation technique with suitable wall material. The microencapsulation
technique protects the vanilla extract from undesirable changes and coverts into a
free flowing powder. Spray drying is the most common and commercial method
for carry out the microencapsulation process. Therefore, to increase the storage
stability of the microencapsulated vanilla extract powder, an investigation has
been taken up to develop optimum process parameters to produce best quality
microencapsulated vanilla extract powder. The microencapsulation of vanilla
extract was carried out in tall type spray drier with twin fluid atomizer.
Maltodextrin and maize starch were used as wall material. Different proportion of
wall materials were used for the emulsification such as 100% maltodextrin, 100%
maize starch, combination of 75% maltodextrin and 25% maize starch and 75%
maize starch and 25% maltodextrin. The wall materials were emulsified with 10,
20 and 30% of vanilla extract for spray drying. The physico-chemical
characteristics of vanilla extract and wall materials, and emulsion characteristics
were carried out and the emulsions were spray dried at different inlet temperatures
of 170, 180 and 190 0 C. The encapsulated vanilla extract powder were collected
and packed in aluminum foil and stored in room temperature for five months. The
powder characteristics of encapsulated vanilla extract powders were carried out
and analyzed. Based on the emulsion and powder characteristics, optimum
conditions for the production of best quality encapsulated vanilla extract powder
were found out. The study concluded that the encapsulated vanilla extract powder
produced from 100% maize starch, vanilla extract concentration of 10% and inlet
air temperature of 180 0 C was found to be superior. The cost of one kilogram of
optimised microencapsulated vanilla extract powder using spray drying technique
was estimated to be Rs.850.
