The Improvement of Crocin Stability in Rock Candy (Nabat) By Microencapsulation

In the present study, the microencapsulation technique was utilized to improve the stability of crocin in Nabat (rock candy), which is a popular confection in Iran. For this purpose, crocin was extracted from saffron, and its microcapsules were prepared through the spray drying process. Gelatin solutions with various concentrations (3%, 5%, 7%, and 10% w/v) were used as the wall material. The encapsulated crocin was added to Nabat, and the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of the samples were compared to Nabat containing pure crocin in different storage conditions. The obtained results indicated that increasing the concentration of the wall materials from 3% to 10% significantly increased the particle size of the microcapsules. The optimal efficiency of crocin microencapsulation was observed at the gelatin concentration of 5%. In addition, a significant difference was observed in the color properties of Nabat containing pure and encapsulated crocin during storage. Therefore, crocin microencapsulation could preserve the sensory properties of the samples. Considering the significant effect of light on the stability of crocin, Nabat containing this substance should be protected from direct light by hermetic packaging.