*Article* **Whey Protein Isolate-Xylose Maillard-Based Conjugates with Tailored Microencapsulation Capacity of Flavonoids from Yellow Onions Skins**

**S, tefania Adelina Milea, Iuliana Aprodu, Elena Enachi, Vasilica Barbu, Gabriela Râpeanu, Gabriela Elena Bahrim and Nicoleta Stănciuc \***

> Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, 111 Domnească Street, 800201 Galat,i, Romania; adelina.milea@ugal.ro (S, .A.M.); iuliana.aprodu@ugal.ro (I.A.); elena.ionita@ugal.ro (E.E.); vasilica.barbu@ugal.ro (V.B.); gabriela.rapeanu@ugal.ro (G.R.); Gabriela.Bahrim@ugal.ro (G.E.B.)

**\*** Correspondence: Nicoleta.Stanciuc@ugal.ro

**Abstract:** The objective of this study is to encapsulate flavonoids from yellow onion skins in whey protein isolates (WPI) and xylose (X), by Maillard-based conjugates, as an approach to improve the ability to entrap flavonoids and to develop powders with enhanced antioxidant activity. WPI (0.6%, *w*/*v*) was conjugated to X (0.3%, *w/v*) through the Maillard reaction at 90 ◦C for 120 min, in the presence of a flavonoid-enriched extract. Two variants of powders were obtained by freeze-drying. The glycation of WPI allowed a better encapsulation efficiency, up to 90.53 ± 0.29%, corresponding to a grafting degree of 30.38 ± 1.55%. The molecular modelling approach was used to assess the impact of X interactions with α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin on the ability of these proteins to bind the main flavonoids from the yellow onion skins. The results showed that X might compete with quercetin glucosides to bind with α-lactalbumin. No interference was found in the case of βlactoglobulin. The microstructural appearance of the powders revealed finer spherosomes in powder with WPI–X conjugates via the Maillard reaction. The powders were added to nachos, followed by a phytochemical characterization, in order to test their potential added value. An increase in antioxidant activity was observed, with no significant changes during storage.

**Keywords:** glycation; flavonoids; microencapsulation; onion skins; antioxidant activities
