Enhancement of oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich fish oil: microencapsulation using chitosan-whey protein complex and betalain

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are abundant in fish oil, easily oxidise. Therefore, stabilisation is necessary, preferably through encapsulation and the addition of antioxidants. This research looked on multiple emulsification for PUFA-rich fish oil by utilising a wall material (whey protein and chitosan) and an antioxidant (betalain) combination. Spray-dried, microparticles filled with PUFA were successfully created (80% yield) and characterised. It was determined that the emulsion droplet size was 0.917 μm. Good oxidative stability was observed after 4 weeks of storage, as evidenced by a moderate (4%) drop in EPA and DHA content and a low peroxide value (PV) of 4.8 ± 0.23 meq/kg oil in microparticles. Microencapsulation of PUFA-rich fish oil was successfully accomplished using multiple emulsion technology, as evidenced by encapsulation efficiency values of 87.73 ± 0.21% and loading efficiency values of 67 ± 0.11%. These results suggest that structurally stabilised healthful lipids could be added to foods using these innovative emulsions, which provide greater stability and versatility for a wide variety of uses.