Effect of Maltodextrin Concentrations and Drying Temperature on the Physico-chemical Characteristics and Color Measurements of Butterfly Pea Flowers (Clitoria ternatea L) Powder

Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea L.) is a tropical plant that is rich in bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanins which are useful as natural dyes and antioxidant compounds. The bioactive compounds of butterfly pea flowers are unstable due to environmental influences, especially temperature, oxygen, light and acidity. In order to improve the stability of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanin compounds in powder form, it is necessary to utilize encapsulation technology using coating materials. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of maltodextrin concentration and drying temperature on the physico-chemical characteristics and color measurements of encapsulated butterfly pea flower extract. The research method used was a factorial design prepared using a randomized block design consisting of 2 factors. Factor I (maltodextrin concentration) consisted of 3 levels, namely (10%, 20%, and 30%) while factor II (drying temperature) consisted of 3 levels (70ºC, 80ºC, and 90ºC), with 3 repetitions. The observation variables are: a) antioxidant activity, b) anthocyanin content, c) water content, d) dissolution time, e) color properties (L*, a*, and b*). Based on general research results, a maltodextrin concentration of 10% and a drying temperature of 70ºC showed the best results based on antioxidant activity rate and the highest anthocyanin content (51.47% and 47.36mg/g), as well as color measurements with the lowest L* value = 52, highest a* value = +2.6, and highest b* = -11.16. Except for powder solubility, a maltodextrin concentration of 30% and a drying temperature of 90ºC resulted in the fastest solubility time (16.67 seconds). For water content, all treatments were still in accordance with spice standards in Indonesia and standards issued by the USDA.