Effect of chia oil and pea protein content on stability of emulsions obtained by ultrasound and powder production by spray drying

Chia oil is susceptible to oxidation and to make this oil application into foodstuffs possible, chia-oil based microparticles were produced. Oil-in-water emulsions were produced by ultrasound and their stability was maximized using a central composite rotational design (X1: pea protein X2: oil concentration). Hi-Cap® 100 (HC) or maltodextrin (MD) were used as carrier agents in spray drying. The validated formulation with 13.50% (w/w) oil and 3.87% (w/w) pea protein presented the best stability conditions (no phase separation for 7 days, monomodal size distribution, and 1.59 μm of moda diameter). Particles showed high encapsulation efficiency (87.71 and 91.97% for MD and HC, respectively) and low water activity and moisture values (0.114–0.150% and 2.64–3.41%, respectively). HC particles exhibited better physicochemical and structural characteristics, apart from their good reconstitution, which shows the potential of this approach as a viable alternative for the use of rich-plant ingredients, such as chia oil and pea protein.