Microencapsulation of bioactive compounds from <i>Hesperomeles escalloniifolia</i> Schltdl (Capachu) in quinoa starch and Tara Gum

Andean wild fruits, such as Capachu (Hesperomeles escalloniifolia Schltdl), are rich in bioactive compounds with health benefits. This study obtained aqueous phenolic extracts from Capachu by leaching and microencapsulated them by spray drying, using quinoa starch (95%) and tara gum (5%) as encapsulating matrices. The effects of inlet temperature and encapsulant percentage were evaluated on the microcapsules’ physicochemical and functional properties. Under selected spray-drying conditions (140°C, 11.6% encapsulant), the powders showed phenolic compounds (9.60 mg GAE/g), anthocyanins (211.40 mg C3G/g), and flavonoids (0.62 mg quercetin/g), with antioxidant capacities by DPPH (142.43 µmol Trolox/g) and ABTS (32.65 µmol Trolox/g). Moisture, water activity, and hygroscopicity were within desirable limits. FTIR and morphological analyses confirmed the physical encapsulation of the core compounds, while the release study showed a maximum release of 24.04 mg GAE/g over 24 hours. These microcapsules show promising potential for applications in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.