Formulation and evaluation of buttermilk enriched with encapsulated banana pseudostem extract

Banana pseudostem is a potentially rich source of phytochemicals, which include phenolics and flavonoids which possess functional properties such as antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities. However, these bioactive compounds are less stable within the food matrix and their extract may impart undesirable sensory attributes. Encapsulation of the extract presents a viable solution to these shortcomings. This study aimed to encapsulate thee banana pseudostem extract from the Palayamkodan variety using alginate-based wall material. Additionally, the research involved developing an enriched beverage incorporating the encapsulated extract. Developing an enriched beverage with the encapsulated pseudostem extract offers consumers a convenient and nutritious option. The encapsulation process was performed using high-speed homogenizer with sodium alginate as the wall material. The ethanolic extract of banana pseudostem and its encapsulated form exhibited a total phenolic content of 10.62±0.21 mg GAE/g of extract and 2.97±0.09 mg GAE/100 mL, respectively. Both the extract and its encapsulated form demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, as measured by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The in vitro anti-diabetic activity was determined by α-amylase inhibition assay revealing that both the extract, and the encapsulated form exhibited strong activity. The encapsulated extract was incorporated into spiced buttermilk for developing the enriched beverage. A storage study of the enriched butter milk, packaged in bottles and stored under refrigerated conditions (4±2 °C) indicated that the product remains acceptable for over 10 days, maintaining favourable scores across various sensory attributes. From the current investigation, it can be concluded that developing enriched buttermilk with the encapsulated banana pseudostem extract is feasible, providing good antioxidant and anti-diabetic activity.