Enhancing the Stability and Sensory Quality of Algae Oil Through Optimized Spray-Dried Microencapsulation for Food Fortification

This study investigated the microencapsulation of omega-3-rich algae oil using spray drying to enhance its oxidative stability and sensory acceptability for food fortification. Emulsions were prepared using maltodextrin and gum Arabic as wall materials and processed under controlled conditions of inlet air temperature 130 to 190 °C, wall material concentration 5 to 25%, pump speed 4 to 12 mL/min, and needle speed 3 to 7 s. Encapsulation efficiency ranged from 78.80 ± 0.69% to 88.05 ± 0.88%, with the highest value achieved at an inlet air temperature of 130 °C, a wall material of 15%, a pump speed of 8 mL/min, and a needle speed of 3 s. The extracted algal oil showed low oxidative indices, including free fatty acid content of 0.87 ± 0.2%, peroxide value of 1.68 ± 0.1 meq O₂/kg, and thiobarbituric acid value of 0.17 ± 0.2 mg malondialdehyde/kg, indicating good initial oil quality. The fitted quadratic model was significant, with inlet air temperature and wall material concentration showing the strongest effects on encapsulation efficiency. Sensory evaluation confirmed acceptable color, reduced off-flavor, and good overall acceptability of the spray-dried microcapsules. Overall, the optimized spray-drying process produced a stable algal oil powder with promising potential for functional food and nutraceutical applications.