eng Enviro Research Publishers Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal 2347-467X 2322-0007 2025-11-20 13 3 1222 1234 10.12944/CRNFSJ.13.3.14 24863 article Muhammad Yusuf 1 Nurul Puspita 2 Aditano Yani Retawimbio 3 Boby Pranata 4 Diode Yonata 1 Department of Food Technology, Muhammadiyah University Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia Department of Agribusiness, University of Muhammadiyah Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia Department of Maritime, University of Muhammadiyah Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Sriwijaya University, Indonesia The peanut worm (Siphonosoma australe), a marine organism endemic to the coastal waters of Sulawesi, Indonesia, is rich in glutamic acid, making it a promising natural source of umami flavor. This study aimed to develop and characterize spray-dried microcapsules of peanut worm extract (MPWE) using maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA) as encapsulating agents, individually and in combination, with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) added to improve encapsulation efficiency. The spray-drying process yielded 53.26–70.98% of microcapsules retaining L-glutamic acid contents of 2594.33–3871.33 mg/100 g, with recovery rates of 31.26–61.81%. All formulations exhibited desirable physicochemical properties, including low moisture content (2.12–3.77%), water activity (0.31–0.35), hygroscopicity (8.27–11.20%), high solubility (88.78–98.84%), and good flowability. The microcapsules had particle sizes ranging from 5.71 to 8.47 μm with heterogeneous, wrinkled surfaces characteristic of spray-dried powders. Incorporation of βCD significantly enhanced the physicochemical stability of MPWE, though a slight reduction in solubility was observed. Among all formulations, the MD–GA–βCD (MGβ) combination produced the most favorable characteristics, suggesting its potential as an optimal encapsulation system for producing stable, umami-rich microcapsules from marine-derived ingredients. This work introduces a novel marine-derived umami microcapsule with strong potential for application in functional and savory food industries. https://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume13number3/microencapsulation-of-peanut-worm-siphonosoma-australe-extract-from-indonesian-marine-waters-as-a-natural-umami-flavor-enhancer-obtained-by-spray-drying/ Glutamic acid Marine-derived ingredients Microcapsule Molecular inclusion Physicochemical properties Umami flavor