Development of chia oil plant-based emulsions stabilized with natural biopolymers

Abstract

The growing shift toward plant-based diets has intensified the search for natural, clean-label functional ingredients. In this context, oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilized with plant-derived biopolymers represent a promising approach for delivering bioactive lipids such as chia oil, which is rich in ω-3 fatty acids. This study developed chia O/W emulsions stabilized with sunflower lecithin and natural hydrocolloids using microfluidization. A 2⁴ factorial design with three central points was applied to evaluate the effects of chia oil (5–10%), sodium alginate (1–2%), Brea Gum (0–1%), and chia mucilage (0–0.5%) on ζ-potential, pH, rheological properties, particle size, physical stability, and microscopic analysis. All emulsions exhibited pseudoplastic behavior, with BG and CM significantly increasing viscosity and consistency index. ζ-Potential values (-75.76 to -44.24 mV) indicated strong electrostatic stability, while droplet sizes were smaller at lower oil concentrations and in the presence of BG. Systems with higher oil load and low alginate concentration were prone to early destabilization, whereas formulations containing combined biopolymers displayed improved resistance to creaming and flocculation. Overall, the incorporation of BG markedly enhanced the physical stability of chia emulsions, underscoring its potential as a regional, plant-based biopolymer for the formulation of stable ω-3 delivery systems.