Characterization of spray-dried tuna oil emulsified in two-layered interfacial membranes prepared using electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition

Tuna oil-in-water emulsions containing droplets stabilized by lecithin–chitosan membranes were produced using an electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition process. Corn syrup solids were added to the emulsions and then the emulsions were spray-dried, which produced a powder consisting of spheroid microcapsules (diameter = 5–30 μm) containing tuna oil droplets (diameter <1 μm) embedded within a carbohydrate wall matrix. The powders had relatively low moisture contents (<3%), high oil retention levels (>85%) and rapid water dispersibility (<1 min). The structure of the microcapsules was unaffected by drying temperature from 165 to 195 °C. We have demonstrated that a novel interfacial engineering technology, based on production of multilayer membranes around oil droplets, is effective for producing spray-dried encapsulated tuna oil. The powdered tuna oil produced by this method has good physicochemical properties and dispersibility, which may lead to its more widespread utilization as a food additive.