Effect of Three Drying Techniques on the Structure and Oxidative Stability of Egg Yolk Phospholipid Peptide–Dihydromyricetin Composite Powders

This study explored the effects of three drying techniques-spray drying (SD), electrostatic spray drying (ESD), and freeze drying (FD)-on the physicochemical and functional properties of egg yolk phospholipid peptide-dihydromyricetin (EYPP-DMY) composite powders. The powders were systematically evaluated for solubility, rehydration behavior, encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and oxidative stability. The results demonstrated that SD and ESD significantly improved the solubility and reconstitution stability of the powders compared to FD, primarily due to their smaller particle sizes and reduced crystallinity. All drying methods achieved high encapsulation efficiencies (>85%), with no significant degradation of DMY. Although FD provided slightly better retention of DMY, SD exhibited the most favorable overall performance, particularly in terms of solubility and antioxidant activity. These findings highlight spray drying as a promising technique for producing stable, functional protein-polyphenol composite powders, offering practical potential for applications in the food industry.