Suppressive effect of saturated acyl L-ascorbate on the oxidation of linoleic acid encapsulated with maltodextrin or gum arabic by spray-drying.

6-O-Palmitoyl L-ascorbate was added to linoleic acid at various molar ratios of the ascorbate to the acid, the mixtures were emulsified with a maltodextrin or gum arabic solution, and the emulsions were spray-dried to produce microcapsules. At higher molar ratios, the oil droplets in the emulsions were smaller, and the oxidative stabilities of the encapsulated linoleic acid were higher for both the maltodextrin- and gum arabic-based microcapsules. 6-O-Capryloyl, caproyl, and lauroyl L-ascorbates, which were synthesized through lipase-catalyzed condensation in acetone, were also used for the microencapsulation of linoleic acid. Except for capryloyl L-ascorbate, the addition of a saturated acyl ascorbate, especially caproyl ascorbate, to linoleic acid was effective for preparing oil droplets of small particle diameter and for suppressing the oxidation of the encapsulated linoleic acid.