A Comprehensive Appraisal of Bioactive Potential of Spray-Dried Chamomile Extract for Designing Novel Industrial Applications

Nowadays, the formulation and manufacture of new products with increased functionality are of growing interest in science and industry. With this in mind, a dried chamomile extract has been prepared that can be used to produce instant tea with enhanced functionality. The chamomile extract was produced using the enzyme-assisted microwave extraction technique, whereas the spray-drying technique was applied to obtain the dry powder form. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and enzyme-inhibitory activities were evaluated for biological properties. The physico-chemical and sensory properties were also determined. The chemical profile of the extract was characterized by high-pressure liquid chromatography with two detectors, diode array detector and a mass spectrometry detector (HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS/MS), and the results showed the presence of apigenin derivatives in the extracts. Various in vitro tests confirmed a considerable antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activity of the tested extract. In sensory assays, the prepared instant tea showed similar sensory properties as commercially available tea, so it can be assumed that it will be accepted by consumers. In summary, spray-dried chamomile extract investigated in this study has good potential for the development of novel functional products.