Spray-chilling encapsulation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline zinc chloride using hydrophobic materials: Storage stability and flavor application in food

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) is a popular yet highly unstable aroma compound, which limits its commercial use as a flavoring ingredient. The stability and application of spray-chilled paraffin-coated microcapsules of 2AP zinc chloride complex (2AP–ZnCl₂) were investigated in this study. 2AP–ZnCl₂ microcapsules (0.081% (w/w) 2AP loading) and unprotected 2AP–ZnCl₂ complex were subjected to ambient storage at four different relative humidities (RH; ∼0%, ∼22.5%, ∼43.2% and ∼100%). The results showed that the microcapsules had significantly greater 2AP stability compared with the unprotected complex under all storage conditions studied. A flavor application study using instant rice was also performed to validate the potential effectiveness of using 2AP–ZnCl₂ microcapsules as a flavoring agent. Full 2AP recovery was achieved after the cooking process, where the controlled release function of the microcapsules was clearly exhibited. The results demonstrated that microencapsulation of 2AP–ZnCl₂ allows for more flexible handling/storage practices and has potential for application by the flavor industry.