Optimizing encapsulation strategies for enhanced antioxidant stability of Wolffia globosa extracts: A comparative study of maltodextrin, gum arabic, and whey protein concentrate

• Microencapsulated W. globosa extracts offer productive use in the food industry. • M+W showed the highest TPC, efficiency, and antioxidant activity. • M+W and G+W improved moisture, reduced bulk density, and shortened solubility time. • M+G reduced hygroscopicity, while M improved solubility, particle size, and bioactive stability. Wolffia globosa is an aquatic plant rich in antioxidants, particularly phenolic compounds. It is the first systematic study comparing various encapsulants for W. globosa extract. This study encapsulated the extract from W. globosa using three types of encapsulating agents, i.e., maltodextrin, gum arabic, and whey protein concentrate, and their combinations. The encapsulated extract was then dried using the spray drying method. The physicochemical properties of the resulting microencapsulated W. globosa extracts (MWE) were then analyzed. The total phenolic content and encapsulation efficiency of MWE encapsulated using a combination of maltodextrin and whey protein concentrate showed the best results (19.58 mg GAE/g extract and 75.70%, respectively) ( p ≤ 0.05). The MWE was light and yellowish green. The use of whey protein concentrate for encapsulation led to low bulk densities (0.17 g/mL), and the MWE encapsulated with gum arabic and whey protein concentrate (G+W) exhibited the lowest density (0.15 g/mL) and the highest moisture content (4.56 g/100 g) ( p ≤ 0.05). The use of encapsulating agents alone or in combination resulted in identical water solubility indexes; however, the combination of encapsulating agents shortened the solubility time. The MWE encapsulated with maltodextrin exhibited the smallest cumulative particle-size distribution (D 50 ) of 8.32 µm, while G+W had the largest (12.95 µm) ( p ≤ 0.05), mainly due to the D 50 value in the whey protein concentrate encapsulation. According to the findings, the combination of whey protein concentrate and maltodextrin can help preserve W. globosa 's active components while increasing its stability, solubility, and suitability for use in functional food and nutraceutical formulations.