Digestion behaviour of chia seed oil encapsulated in chia seed protein-gum complex coacervates

Spray dried chia seed oil (CSO) microcapsules were prepared by using chia seed protein isolate (CPI), chia seed gum (CSG) and CPI-CSG complex coacervate as shell materials. Release and digestion behaviours of CSO from above capsules were studied. The release and lipolysis of CSO from these microcapsules in simulated oral, gastric and intestinal conditions were found to depend on shell composition. Oil release was negligible in oral stage, was highest in gastric stage due to hydrolysis of CPI and subsequent erosion of shell structure. Lipolysis of oil occurred only in the intestinal stage due to the presence of pancreatic lipase. Almost all the unencapsulated oil was hydrolysed, whereas only 60% of the oil encapsulated in CPI-CSG shell was hydrolysed during in vitro digestion. Thus, CPI-CSG complex coacervate was found to be suitable for delivery of CSO to intestinal stage of digestion.