Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of microencapsulation with different wall materials of ovalbumin (OVA), OVA-tea polyphenols (TP), OVA-inluin (IN) and OVA-IN-TP on the stability of pomegranate seed oil. Methods: Spray drying was used to prepare microcapsules, and the microencapsulation efficiency and solubility were measured. The particle size distribution was investigated by a laser particle size analyzer, the microstructure was observed by a fluorescence microscope and a scanning electron microscope, and the antioxidant capacity and storage stability were investigated. Results: The OVA-IN-TP microcapsules had small and uniform particle size and exhibited smooth surfaces without dents or holes, and the microencapsulation efficiency of pomegranate seed oil was up to (94.52 ± 3.19)%. The storage stability test showed that the antioxidant capacity of microencapsulated pomegranate seed oil with OVA-IN-TP was significantly improved (P < 0.05) with enhanced resistance to extreme environments such as light, temperature and humidity. Therefore, OVA-IN-TP had the strongest stability to delay the oxidation of microencapsulated pomegranate seed oil. To sum up, this study provides an effective way to develop and utilize pomegranate seed oil as a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids.

Key words: pomegranate seed oil; ovalbumin; spray drying; microcapsules; oxidative stability