Application of spray drying for production of microparticles containing the carotenoid-rich tucumã oil (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.)

Tucumã oil contains high amounts of carotenoids, which present provitamin A and antioxidant properties, but its application in food products may be difficult due to hydrophobicity and susceptibility to degradation. The aim of this work was to produce tucumã oil powders by spray drying and to evaluate their physicochemical properties, storage stability and in vitro digestion. Different oil proportions (100, 200 and 300 g/kg) and drying temperatures (120 and 180 °C) were evaluated. Oxidative stability of oil and powders was evaluated by Rancimat at 120 °C, while carotenoid retention was determined during 125 days at 25 °C. Particles dried at 120 °C presented higher carotenoid contents (52.9–162.1 mg/kg) than that produced at 180 °C (43.7–130.6 mg/kg) and were chosen for further analysis. Encapsulation increased the oxidative stability (up to 177-fold) of oil under high temperature, besides allowing high carotenoid retention (73–85%) after storage, great dispersibility of oil in water (93.8–98.1%) and the controlled release of carotenoids during digestion steps, with an overall liberation of 64%. One may conclude that tucumã oil powders have potential to be incorporated into processed foods as a functional ingredient. •Tucumã oil and gum arabic powders were produced by spray drying.•Powders presented improved oxidative stability when compared to pure oil.•Water dispersibility values were higher than 90%.•Powders showed high carotenoid retention (73–85%) after 125 days of storage.•Carotenoids were gradually released from microparticles during simulated digestion.