BEETROOT MICROCAPSULES OBTAINED BY SPRAY DRYING: PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND ENCAPSULATION EFFICIENCY

Background. Approximately 40% of beetroot biomass is discarded as waste during harvesting, processing, and consumption, despite being rich in bioactive compounds. This study aimed to obtain microcapsules from beetroot leaves, stems, peel and bulb using spray drying, and to comparatively evaluate their physicochemical properties, bioactive compound content, and encapsulation efficiency. Materials and methods. Beetroot extracts were combined with 20% maltodextrin, pretreated with ultrasound, and microencapsulated by spray drying at temperatures of 130, 140 and 150°C. Results. Microencapsulated beetroot extracts (MBEs) obtained at 130°C exhibited the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and betalains. Leaf-derived microcapsules stood out for their phenolic content (1314 mg GAE/100 g), while the husk microcapsules stood out for their betalain content (458.1 mg/100 g). Overall, the microcapsules demonstrated low moisture content (5.77 to 6.87%), hygroscopicity below 10.88%, solubility between 73% and 87.05%, and an average drying yield of 16.22%. Furthermore, encapsulation and retention efficiencies reached 88% and 90% for phenolics and 89% for betalains, respectively. Conclusion. MBEs show promise for incorporation into food matrices, offering potential for the development of biofortified products with enhanced biological activity while contributing to agri-food waste reduction. Within the context of a sustainable agroindustry, future studies should investigate the stability, controlled release, and sensory impacts of MBEs in various food applications to optimize functionality and consumer acceptance.