Advances in microencapsulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)-rich plant oils using complex coacervation: A review

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids that are abundantly available in marine fish, algae and some plant seeds. In recent years, the demand of plant-based PUFAs is increasing rapidly due to dietary and lifestyle requirements. The toxicity and environmental sustainability concerns associated with fish oils are driving the demand for plant-based PUFAs. PUFAs-rich oils rapidly undergo deterioration due to oxidation in the course of processing, transportation and storage. They require adequate protection and are microencapsulated before their application or incorporation in food products. Complex coacervation-based microencapsulation technology is increasingly being used in food and pharmaceutical industries due to high encapsulation efficiency, high payload and mild processing conditions associated with this technology. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the relevant scientific literature on complex coacervation with special emphasis on the production of plant protein-plant polysaccharide (gum) complex coacervates. Microencapsulation of PUFAs-rich oils in plant protein-gum complex coacervates and resultant oxidative stability of PUFAs is highlighted. Finally, the release and digestion of encapsulated PUFAs in the human physiological conditions are discussed. Co-encapsulation of various functional ingredients together with PUFAs derived from plants in plant protein-gum complex coacervate is identified as important future research direction.