Formulation with sage tea-loaded fish oil-based microcapsules to delay oxidation

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids but prone to oxidative deterioration.
• Oxidation reduces nutritional value and affects sensory properties of fish oil.
• Natural antioxidants are sought to improve fish oil stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To microencapsulate fish oil using sage essential oils at different concentrations.
• To evaluate the oxidative stability of microencapsulated fish oil during ambient storage.
• To assess the efficacy of sage essential oil as a natural antioxidant in fish oil.

Main Methods:

• Fish oil (Engraulis encrasicolus) was microencapsulated using spray drying with 1%, 2%, and 3% sage essential oil concentrations (S1, S2, S3).
• Microencapsulated powders were stored at 24±1°C for 12 weeks.
• Oxidative deterioration was assessed by measuring free fatty acid (FFA), peroxide value (PV), and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values.

Main Results:

• Microencapsulation efficiency was highest with 3% sage oil (S3) at 60.17%.
• The 2% sage oil concentration (S2) showed the lowest free fatty acid values.
• Sage oil microencapsulation significantly delayed the increase in peroxide and TBA values, indicating retarded oxidation compared to control and S1 samples.

Conclusions:

• Microencapsulation of fish oil with sage essential oil using spray drying effectively enhances its oxidative stability.
• Sage essential oil acts as a natural antioxidant, protecting fish oil from degradation during storage.
• This technique offers a cost-effective solution for improving the shelf-life and applicability of fish oil in the food industry.