Microencapsulation of strawberry juice in Agave angustifolia fructans: effect of spray-drying conditions on the anthocyanin content and physicochemical properties

The searching of alternative products that help reduce sugar consumption is a recurring objective due to the high number of overweight people in the world. The spray drying process of natural strawberry juice (SWJ) was evaluated using Agave angustifolia fructans as an encapsulating agent. Five fructan concentrations and three drying conditions were evaluated. The microcapsules obtained were characterised by anthocyanins content (UVvis), moisture percentage, hygroscopicity, colour, Tg, morphology (light scattering and SEM) and FTIR. Considering a recovery yield above 50%, the inlet/outlet temperatures of 180/90–95 °C and 15% of fructans were the conditions to obtain the powders with a hygroscopicity of 31%, anthocyanin retention of 84% and the highest Tg (54 °C). FTIR spectra and SEM evidenced that fructans can act as a homogeneous encapsulating matrix of SWJ. Therefore A. angustifolia fructans can be an alternative of low-caloric power for the encapsulation of SWJ through spray.