Encapsulation of Orange Essential Oil in a Spout-Fluid Bed Dryer with a Draft Tube on a Bed of Inert Solids

Encapsulation of orange essential oil in modified starch (N-Lok) was performed in a spout-fluid bed dryer with a draft tube (SFB) on a bed of inert solids under different operating conditions. The essential oil retention and encapsulation efficiencies were determined and compared with those obtained in a spray-drying encapsulation process. The results showed that, in general, both SFB efficiencies were lower than those obtained in the spray dryer; however, it was observed that most of the essential oil remaining in the SFB was encapsulated (94% compared with 70% for the spray dryer). The formation of particles with thicker encapsulation walls in the SFB provided better protection of the orange essential oil than that achieved in spray drying.