Spray Drying of Aqueous South American Sapote (Matisia cordata) Extract: Influence of Dextrose Equivalent and Dietary Fiber on Physicochemical Properties

South American sapote is a fruit native to the Brazilian Amazon. This fruit presents preservation challenges due to its high moisture content and the presence of bioactive compounds prone to degradation. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the carrier materials inulin (IN) and maltodextrin (MD) with different dextrose equivalent (DE) values (5, 10, and 20) on the physicochemical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of the powdered South American sapote extract obtained by spray drying. Three wall material formulations were used: MD with a DE 5 and IN, MD with a DE 10 and IN, and MD with a DE 20 and IN (T1, T2, and T3, respectively). To compare the physicochemical qualities, the South American sapote extract (SASE) was examined without the addition of carrier agents. The MD DE 20/IN (T3) treatment stood out by presenting higher DPPH free radical scavenging activity with values of 0.79 ± 0.013 µmol TE g⁻¹/g_d.b. and higher levels of total content of phenolic compounds (TPC) (39.30 ± 0.007 mg GAE .100 g⁻¹/g_d.b.) (T3). The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the microparticles varied between 154.17 and 158.70 °C. The treatment with MD DE 20/IN (T3) demonstrated the best performance due to the lower thermogravimetric degradation, higher retention of volatile compounds, and preservation of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties. Regarding morphology, the particles had a spherical shape with a smooth and pore-free surface but exhibited agglomeration.

Graphical Abstract