Descripción:
The aim of this research was to determine the stability of phenolic compounds from Opuntia oligacantha Forst (xoconostle) ¨ by microencapsulation with a blend of biopolymers (maltodextrin and gum arabic) and agave sap (aguamiel) as a thermoprotector. The particle size distribution, morphology, stability during storage at different temperatures and water activity of the microcapsules were determined. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) among the microcapsules. Higher protection was found in the microcapsules containing aguamiel. The microcapsules had a spherical shape with an average diameter of 7.72 µm. It was observed that the microcapsules containing aguamiel had a minor change in colour independent of the drying temperature and preserved the phenolic compounds for more than 1467 days at a storage temperature of 25 °C. These results suggest the application of microencapsulation with phenolic compounds from xoconostle for food products. Keywords: biopolymers, xoconostle, stability, spray drying.