Microencapsulation of Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Peel Extract Using Maltodextrin

Dragon fruit peel can be utilized as a natural dye due to betacyanin content, redviolet pigment of betalain group. Betacyanin is unstable to temperature, oxygen, and light, consequently microencapsulation technology is required to maintain its stability. This study aims to determine microencapsulation efficiency of dragon fruit peel extract with variation of encapsulation ratio and to perceive morphological characteristics of dragon fruit peel extractt encapsulated. In this study, the dragon fruit peel was extracted using polar solvent pH 4 and pH 5 by maceration method. Maltodextrin is used as coating encapsulation and freeze drying is applied as microencapsulation method. The results showed that, encapsulation of dragon fruit peel extract using maltodextrin with extract ratio to suspension of 5:1, more efficient than ratio of 3:1. Morphological encapsulation of dragon fruit peel extracts resulted in matrix form with particle diameter of dragon fruit peel extract with pH 5 solvent between 0,460-0,770 μm, while particle diameter of dragon fruit peel extract with pH 4 solvent between 0,288-0,640 μm. This study has a great impact to development of microencapsulation technology on red dragon fruit peel as waste utilization which can further be utilized as a functional natural dye in food. This study would be a reference for further researchers or people who engaged in food industry.