Enrichment of White Chocolate with Microencapsulated β-Carotene: Impact on Quality Characteristics and β-Carotene Stability during Storage

This study developed functional white chocolate enriched with free (WC-F) and encapsulated β-carotene using whey protein isolate (WPI) and pullulan (PUL) blends through spray drying (WC-SP), freeze drying (WC-LP), and coaxial electrospinning (WC-EL). The thermal properties, rheological properties, hardness, and color of the chocolates were evaluated, and the stability of β-carotene was monitored over 4 months at 25 °C. No significant differences were found in melting profile temperatures among samples; however, WC-LP and WC-EL exhibited higher melting energies (30.88 J/g and 16.00 J/g) compared to the control (12.42 J/g). WC-F and WC-SP showed rheological behaviors similar to those of the control, while WC-LP and WC-EL displayed altered flow characteristics. Hardness was unaffected in WC-F and WC-SP (7.77 N/mm² and 9.36 N/mm²), increased slightly in WC-LP (10.28 N/mm²), and decreased significantly in WC-EL (5.89 N/mm²). Over storage, melting point, rheological parameters, and hardness increased slightly, while color parameters decreased. β-carotene degradation followed a first-order reaction model, with degradation rate constants (<i>k</i>) of 0.0066 day^-1 for WC-SP, 0.0094 day^-1 for WC-LP, and 0.0080 day^-1 for WC-EL, compared to 0.0164 day^-1 for WC-F. WC-SP provided the best β-carotene retention, extending the half-life period by 2 times compared to WC-F (126.04 days vs. 61.95 days). <b>Practical implications:</b> The findings suggest that WC-SP, with its superior β-carotene stability, is particularly suitable for the development of functional confectionery products with extended shelf life, offering potential benefits in industrial applications where product stability is crucial. <b>Future research directions:</b> Further studies could explore the incorporation of additional bioactive compounds in white chocolate using similar encapsulation methods, as well as consumer acceptance and sensory evaluation of these enriched products.