Investigating the effect of wall material and pressure homogenisation on encapsulation parameters and thermal stability in chia seed oil microcapsules
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Published on: November 9, 2016
Vishnu Anand1, Vikono Ksh1, Sujata Vasudev2
1Division of Food Science and Postharvest Technology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India.
Aim:
To evaluate the effect of different wall material (WM) matrices followed by homogenisation to encapsulate chia seed oil (CSO) using freeze drying technology.
Methods:
CSO was encapsulated using three ratios (100/0, 50/50, and 100/0) of two WM matrices: MTS/WPC (modified tapioca starch-whey protein concentrate) and MD/WPC (maltodextrin-whey protein concentrate). The evaluation included encapsulation efficiency (EE), oxidative stability, and α-linolenic acid (ALA) retention. Homogenised microcapsules (-H) were then assessed for storage and thermal stability, along with cumulative oil release.
Results:
The MD-WPC-H 50/50 microcapsules had superior EE (97.32%), higher ALA retention (60.2%), storage stability (up to 30 days), higher thermal stability (up to 700 °C), and desirable oil release in simulated condition.
Conclusion:
Selecting suitable WM and homogenisation is key for improving EE, storage, thermal stability, and targeted release. The CSO microcapsule can serve as a functional ingredient to improve the quality of diverse food products.

