Determination of critical storage conditions of coffee oil microcapsules by coupling water sorption isotherms and glass transition temperature

Coffee oil microcapsules were produced by spray‐drying using as encapsulating agents gum Arabic, whey protein isolate (WPI) and mixtures of maltodextrin (MD) and WPI, at three different proportions (3:1, 1:1 and 1:3). Sorption isotherms were determined by the gravimetric method, and the glass transition temperature (T_g) was measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Microcapsules produced with gum Arabic showed the highest water adsorption and underwent a stronger water plasticising effect. At the highest water activity (0.843), this sample had a T_g value of ?18.3 °C, while those produced with WPI at higher proportions showed values around 25 and 30 °C. The good fit of experimental data by Guggenheim‐Anderson‐de Boer and Gordon–Taylor models allowed the determination of the critical storage conditions, at which powders are not susceptible to deteriorative physical changes. The samples produced with 1:1 and 1:3 of MD/WPI were the most stable ones, showing critical water activity values of 0.890 and 0.938, respectively.