Characterisation of blue pea flower extracts via microwave-assisted encapsulation
Nurul Asyikin Md Zaki (a*, b), Junaidah Jai (a), Ummi Kalthum Ibrahim (a, b), Syafiza Abd Hashib (a), Habsah Alwi (a, b)

(a) School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
* asyikin6760[at]uitm.edu.my

(b) Food Process Engineering Research Group, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

The preservation of beneficial active compounds from natural sources has become a growing interest in replacing synthetic ingredients, especially in food industry. Clitoria ternatea, or blue pea flower is among the popular plant with many active compounds such as the antioxidants and anthocyanins. Hence, this study focuses on the microwave-assisted encapsulation (MAEC) as an alternative technique in preservation of these active compounds from blue pea flower. The aims are to investigate the best formulation for MAEC of blue pea flower (BPF) and characterise the encapsulated BPF extract. Microwave-assisted encapsulation was carried out at three different powers (180, 300 and 450 W) with maltodextrin dextrose (MD) as carrier material. The encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant activity, dissolution and stability of anthocyanins in encapsulates were analysed. The findings show that microwave power level and encapsulation time have significant effects towards the characteristics of BPF encapsulates. The findings from this study prove that microwave-assisted encapsulation can preserve many beneficial active compounds and improve the characteristic and stability of anthocyanins in BPF extracts.

Keywords: Clitoria ternatea, blue pea flower, antioxidant, anthocyanin, microwave encapsulation

Topic: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry