Inulin‐Based Microencapsulation Enhances the Stability of Anthocyanins From Haskap ( Lonicera caerulea ) Berries

Abstract

The shelf life of anthocyanin‐based dietary supplements is limited by the rapid degradation of anthocyanins under diverse environmental conditions. Microencapsulation offers an effective strategy to enhance anthocyanin stability by shielding these compounds from unfavorable factors. This study aimed to develop an improved microencapsulation formulation to protect anthocyanins extracted from haskap ( Lonicera caerulea ) berries and extend their shelf life. Inulin and β‐glucan were evaluated as alternative wall materials to partially replace maltodextrin, and spray drying was employed to produce the microcapsules. Partial substitution of maltodextrin with 50% inulin (E2MIn) demonstrated strong potential as a viable formulation. The resulting microcapsules exhibited properties comparable to those prepared with 100% maltodextrin, including cyanidin‐3‐glucoside (C3G) encapsulation efficiency (39.7% ± 2.7%), moisture content (6.07% ± 0.30%), water activity ( a w  = 0.17 ± 0.06), and particle size (5.10 ± 2.31 μm). Encapsulation significantly enhanced anthocyanin stability across storage temperatures of −80°C, 4°C, 20°C, and 35°C compared with unencapsulated extracts. After six months at 35°C, E2MIn microcapsules showed substantially lower total anthocyanin loss (59.9% ± 0.96%) than unencapsulated extracts (95.2% ± 0.19%). All microcapsule formulations also markedly reduced polyphenol degradation under UV exposure (0.001–0.003 h −1 ), with opaque capsules providing additional protection for both anthocyanins and polyphenols. Overall, these findings demonstrate that inulin is a promising wall material for producing anthocyanin‐stabilized microcapsules suitable for clean‐label functional ingredient development.