Spray-dried microencapsulation of ginger extract using pea protein, chitosan, and pectin matrices

• Ginger extract was microencapsulated using pea protein, chitosan, and pectin. • Pea protein–pectin (8:2) showed the best encapsulation and antioxidant retention. • Composite scoring enabled integrated evaluation of encapsulation performance. • Optimized biopolymer systems enhance stability and controlled bioactive release. Ginger ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe), being an excellent functional ingredient, is recognized for its beneficial properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic activities. However, ginger bioactive compounds are susceptible to degradation and modification under processing and storage conditions. Simultaneously, their intense flavor has also limited their broader use in food formulations. Thus, microencapsulation could improve stability and mask the undesirable flavor of ginger's bioactive compounds. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to encapsulate the ginger extract in different wall materials to core ratios of pea protein isolates (PPI) and its combination with chitosan (CH) and pectin (PC). The resultant microcapsules were evaluated for their encapsulation efficiency, phenolic contents, antioxidant activity, storage stability, and in vitro digestion. The encapsulation efficiencies ranged from 68.3% to 86.9%, with PPI-PC (8:2 wall-to-core ratio) exhibiting the highest entrapment and producing microcapsules with the most uniform particle size distribution. To comprehensively evaluate the encapsulation performance, a composite scoring approach was employed, integrating multiple physicochemical attributes into a single metric. The analysis confirmed PPI-PC (8:2) as the optimal formulation, demonstrating superior encapsulation efficiency, stability, and antioxidant retention. These findings affirm the potential of microencapsulation in enhancing the stability and controlled release of ginger bioactives.