Hydrocolloids and partially defatted cake on encapsulation of baru oil (Dipteryx alata Vogel): a study on emulsion, particle, and oxidative stability

The baru ( Dipteryx alata Vogel) is a fruit of the Brazilian Cerrado, composed of a pleasant-tasting almond with a high oil content. The consumption of vegetable oils is suggested by the World Health Organization, but vegetable oils lack protection when extracted from their food matrix. Thus, the hydrocolloids Arabic gum (AG) and maltodextrin (MD) as well as the partially defatted cake (PDC), a co-product of the baru cold-pressed oil, were used to produce baru oil microparticles by spray drying. Fatty acid profile, emulsion stability, microparticle quality, and oxidative stability were evaluated. Baru oil is rich in omega-9 (47.3%). AG/MD (25% maltodextrin) showed better emulsion stability after 1h of preparation, higher zeta potential (-28.87 mV ± 0.026) and encapsulation efficiency (76.72% ± 0.002), and lower peroxide content after 4 weeks at 60°C (28.38 meq/kg). The addition of PDC improved the efficiency parameters in relation to the standard formulation (AG). The replacement of 25% of AG by MD improved the emulsion and microparticles' characteristics and better protected the baru oil against oxidation. Through a well-known technique, this study found technological use for a co-product of the extraction of baru oil and made good use of maltodextrin, a hydrocolloid with a lower relative cost.