Physicochemical Properties and Stability of Microencapsulated Betacyanin Pigments from Red Dragon Fruit Peels and Flesh

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is known for its purple-coloured peels and pulp, which can be attributed to the presence of betalains. In this study, the potential of red dragon fruit as a source of natural colorant was investigated. Betacyanins were extracted from red dragon fruit peels and flesh in 1:3 ratio with water. Microencapsulation by spray-drying was done by adding 5% and 10% (w/v) maltodextrin (DE 11.8) to peels and flesh extracts, respectively. The spray-dried colorant powders all obtained <10% moisture content, 5.261-6.409 g/100g hygroscopic moisture content, and 5.317-7.349(mg/100L) betacyanin content. Morphological characterization revealed spherical, agglomerated particles with visible cracks on the surface. The stability study conducted showed that pigment retention was lowest at 70°C and highest at 4°C.

Keywords: Hylocereus polyrhizus; Red dragon fruit; Betacyanin; Microencapsulation; Physicochemical properties