Oleogel-structured composite for the stabilization of ω3 fatty acids in fish oil

Abstract

This study examined the encapsulation and stabilization of É·3 in fish oil into a multi-compartment system consisting of β-cyclodextrins (β-CD) complexation within an oleogel structure, which was further coated with a layer of whey protein isolate (WPI). The formation of β-CD-fish oil complex was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Particle size and ζ-potential of the oleogel-based oil-in-water emulsion did not change significantly over a 28-day storage period under different pH conditions (pH 3.5–7) and NaCl concentrations (50–500 mg L⁻¹). The WPI-coated oleogel and β-CD-fish oil complex were subjected to UVC light exposure and quantified by their eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contents. Results indicated that more than 50 wt% of both EPA and DHA were retained after a 4 h UV exposure period in the WPI-coated system. In addition, sensory evaluation results showed a decreased fish oil odor in the WPI-coated oleogel samples. Overall, the results from this study demonstrated that this oleogel-structured composite incorporating β-CD-fish oil complexes can be formed successfully to retain lipophilic components with decreased undesirable fish oil odor.