Spray drying of Mengkudu herbal extract: Effect of wheat flour

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study is to determine the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of Mengkudu, and the mixture of Mengkudu with wheat flour. Three major processes are involved in this research such as extraction of Mengkudu, spray drying of Mengkudu extract and the mixture of Mengkudu with wheat flour at 1400C. From results, it was found that the phenolics and flavonoid compounds are present in concentrated Mengkudu extract (CME) and due to these compounds the antioxidant activity of CME was increased. The total phenolic and flavonoid content in the mixture of concentrated Mengkudu extract with wheat flour (MCMEWF) and also in the mixture of spray dried Mengkudu extract with wheat flour (MSDMEWF) are lower than in CME but antioxidant activity of these mixtures was higher compared to antioxidant activity of their individual components. This shows that antioxidant compounds in the mixture exhibit synergistically to donate the hydrogen to DPPH radicals thus increased the antioxidant activity.