Trends and viability of omega-3 fatty acid microencapsulation: A bibliometric and critical analysis

• The encapsulation process, including efficiency, oxidative stability, and biodigestibility, are some of the fundamental parameters for assessing product viability. • The countries producing the highest-quality knowledge on this topic are China, Argentina, and Malaysia. • The dynamic and multidisciplinary nature of studies connects food science, nutrition, and public health. • The encapsulation of omega-3 from plant and protist sources enhances stability, bioavailability, and shelf life with the aid of natural antioxidants. This study combines a bibliometrics analysis and a critical review on the microencapsulation of omega-3 fatty acids derived from animal, plant, and protist sources, aiming to identify scientific trends, advances in oxidative stability, and the physicochemical mechanisms responsible for lipid protection. Research published between 2010 and 2024 in the Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases was examined, selecting 92 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The bibliometric analysis revealed a sustained increase in scientific production, with China, Unites States, and Argentina identified as the leading contributors, and Food Chemistry as the most influential journal in the field. The results demonstrate that microencapsulation processes significantly improve oxidative stability and extend the shelf life of omega-3 fatty acids for up to three months under controlled storage conditions. The most employed techniques were spray drying, complex coacervation, lyophilization, and coaxial electrospraying, all showing the ability to from dense structures with acceptable encapsulation efficiency (>60%) and low zeta potential (approximately -50 mV). The wall materials with the best rheological performance were polysaccharides (maltodextrin, chitosan, gum Arabic) and proteins (zein, whey isolate, and caseinate), which act through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions that strengthen the protective matrix. The protective effect is attributed to the formation of semipermeable barriers that limit oxygen diffusion and free radical propagation, thereby preserving the profile of essential fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA). These findings reinforce that microencapsulation is an effective strategy for maintaining fatty acid integrity and developing functional foods enriched with omega-3s.