Spray-dried encapsulation of chia essential oil (Salvia hispanica L.) in whey protein concentrate-polysaccharide matrices Original Research Article

Eight chia essential oil-in-water fresh emulsions (E) variations were prepared using biopolymers blends whey protein concentrate (WPC) with mesquite gum (MG) or gum Arabic (GA), core to wall material ratios (Co:Wa) of 1:2 and 1:3, and total solids contents (TSC) of 30 and 40 wt%. All E variations displayed volume-weighted mean size (d4,3) droplet sizes that fell within 2.32 and 3.35 μm and rates of droplet coalescence (kC) of 10−8 s−1. E variations were spray-dried and the resulting microcapsules (M) had d4,3 falling within the range of 13.17–28.20 μm. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was higher than 70% for all M, but those obtained from E with lower TSC and higher Co:Wa displayed higher EE and lower surface oil, independently of M particle size. The reconstituted emulsions (RE) exhibited significantly higher d4,3 and kC values of the same magnitude as E variations.