Microencapsulation with chitosan by spray drying for industry applications – A review

•Microcapsulation with chitosan, by a spray drying process.•Chitosan is a natural polymer with important advantages.•Spray dryer is a fast and relatively cheap technique, highly reproducible.•Controlled release models can help to optimize and design microencapsulation processes.•Applications of the controlled release models in the industry.

This work reviews the relevant information about the possibility of producing microparticles with chitosan, by a spray drying process, for industrial applications. The applicability and the advantages of chitosan and modified chitosan in the microencapsulation process are discussed, with special emphasis on relevant operational spray drying conditions, which affect the performance of the final product, namely the efficiency and yield of the microencapsulation process, the particle properties, like size, moisture and stability, and the release time of active compounds.The fundamental equations governing the controlled release of active compounds and the application of controlled release technology in food systems are presented.