ABSTRACT
314Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are known as essential fatty acids (EFAs) due to the inability of human body to synthesize them. Hence, their supply to the body has to be through diets. There is a gamut of literature available on health benefits of EFAs namely, mental stress management, lowering of serum triglyceride levels in blood, etc. Some of the major sources of these fatty acids are fish oil, flaxseed oil, and algae oil. In commercial process, these two EFAs can be served as concentrated nutraceutical (in powder or liquid form) or can be incorporated in other food systems. However, in both cases, oxidation of the acids is a prime challenge. In addition to that, there are other challenges like off-flavor of the oil, ensuring appropriate level of the acids in each serving plus their stability in the food matrix. To meet these challenges, a study has been designed to develop an optimal process to produce microencapsulates of EFAs. The method essentially involves encapsulation via homogenization followed by a freeze/spray drying. In this study, appropriate selection of encapsulation matrix as well as optimization of the process conditions has been done.
