Principais técnicas de encapsulação de óleos vegetais: uma revisão

Abstract

The study on the encapsulation of vegetable oils encompassed an analysis of several research papers published between 2013 and 2024, aiming to evaluate the food encapsulation technology focused on vegetable oils to enhance their stability and bioavailability. Different oils such as pequi, garlic, oregano, chia, grape seed, canola, and buriti were examined, highlighting their properties and benefits. The results were presented by discussing the characteristics of the oils, the encapsulation techniques used, and their combination, highlighting both agreements and disagreements among the authors. The study underscores the importance of vegetable oils in the human diet, emphasizing their potential to promote health. Encapsulation was described as a crucial process to retain active agents in carrier materials, being valuable in incorporating bioactive molecules and live cells into foods. The materials used to form the protective wall of the encapsulates must be edible, biodegradable, and capable of creating a barrier between the internal phase and the surrounding environment. The most commonly used methods for encapsulating vegetable oils were spray-drying and complex coacervation. Complex coacervation was particularly highlighted for its high efficacy, offering advantages such as high encapsulation efficiency, controlled release, and versatility in particle size control. On the other hand, spray drying was recognized as a well-established method for producing dry particles from a liquid solution. In conclusion, the reviewed studies indicate that the encapsulation of vegetable oils offers significant benefits, including reducing oxidation and expanding these compounds' application possibilities. Despite the need for further research to refine encapsulation methods, the results suggest a promising future for this technology in the market and in developing new applications.