Enrichment of biscuits with microencapsulated omega-3 fatty acid (Alpha-linolenic acid) rich Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) seed oil: Physical, sensory and storage quality characteristics of biscuits.

Garden cress seed oil (GCO) is rich in a-linolenic acid (ALA), and hence is prone for auto-oxidation.
Microencapsulation of GCO (MGCO) was prepared in whey protein concentrate with oil/protein ratio
of 0.4, by spray-drying method. Microencapsulated GCO powder (MGCO) contained 25 g of GCO/100 g
with microencapsulation efficiency of 64.8% and particle size of 15.4 � 9.1 microns. Biscuits were prepared
by supplementing MGCO at 20 g/100 g or GCO at 5.0 g/100 g by replacing flour and fat or fat in
biscuit formula. ALA content was found to be 1.02 g and 1.05 g/100 g respectively in MGCO and GCOsupplemented
biscuits. Biscuits were packed in metalized PET film (MPET) pouches, stored at three
different storage conditions, viz., 90% RH/38 �C for 3 months, 30e40% RH/38e40 �C for 4 months and 65%
RH/27 �C for 5 months. Biscuits stored at 90% RH/38 �C had one month shelf- life, whereas at 30e40% RH/
38e40 �C and 65% RH/27 �C, they lasted 4 and 5 months, respectively. However, in all the three storage
conditions oxidation rate of ALA was high in GCO-supplemented biscuits compared to MGCO biscuits
indicating that the encapsulation prevented oxidation of ALA in biscuits. Sensory evaluation results
showed that MGCO-supplemented biscuit were acceptable.