Microparticles loaded with fish oil: stability studies, food application and sensory evaluation

Abstract

Aim

Evaluate the stability of microparticles loaded with fish oil produced by spray drying, spray chilling and by the combination of these techniques (double-shell) and use the microparticles for food application.

Methods

Samples were stored for 180 days at 6 °C and 24 °C (75% RH). Performed investigations included encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, a_w, size (laser scattering), colour (L*, a*, b*), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (GC), thermal behaviour (DSC) and crystalline structure (XRD).

Results

Double-shell microparticles containing 26 wt% core material, 22.74 ± 0.02 µm (D_0.5) and 2.05 ± 0.03 span index, 1.262 ± 0.026 wt% moisture content and 0.240 ± 0.001 of a_w had PUFAs retention higher than 90 wt% during storage at 6 °C without changes in crystalline structure (β’-type crystals) and melting temperature (54 °C). The sensory evaluation suggested low fish oil release in oral phase digestion.

Conclusions

Double-shell microparticles were effective to protect and deliver PUFAs.

Keywords:

• Microencapsulation
• double-shell
• EPA
• DHA
• storage
• sensory acceptance

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Food Engineering Doctoral Program of UNICAMP (Brazil) and to the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) that provided scholarships to C.A. Carazzato and K.B.F. Paganotti.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [Process 2015/12398–4].