Encapsulation of a lipid precursor, the eicosapentaenoic acid, to study the development of the crassostrea gigas oyster flavours

Abstract

The present study is part of a larger project whose aim is to understand how the oyster Crassostrea gigas develops its aromas from a lipid precursor, the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), in glyceride form. The objective of this study is, therefore, to prepare an encapsulation process that will enable the bivalve to be supplied with this lipid precursor. The complex coacervation method was chosen as it gave the best compatible microcapsules with respect to the nutritional aspects of oyster (i.e. digestibility) and the environmental constraints (i.e. behaviour and stability in seawater). The aim of this study is to manufacture and optimize a process of complex coacervation, to obtain capsules made of gelatin and acacia gum with a size under 100 μm in diameter and containing very small drops of cod liver oil (rich in EPA). The preservation of these microcapsules in seawater has been confirmed.

Key Words:

• Pacific oyster
• Crassostrea gigas
• lipid
• microencapsulation
• complex coacervation