The oil obtained from the seeds of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a valuable plant source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Chia oil's high PUFA content makes it an interesting source for enriching foods with these essential fatty acids, but the oil's high PUFA content also makes it susceptible to oxidation. Consequently, one of the most relevant challenges is to protect the oil from oxidative deterioration. Recently, different studies have demonstrated that microencapsulation

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... s chia oil with protection against this type of deterioration [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . Moreover, the oxidative stability of chia oil can be further improved through other strategies, such as using compounds with antioxidant properties. Toward this end, the Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) formed during the classic chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars are a good encapsulant system for oils with high PUFA contents [6] since these protein-carbohydrate conjugates possess emulsifying and antioxidant properties. Although questions about possible toxic effects of MPRs have been raised, some studies have reported that these products are not likely to be dietary mutagens or genotoxic, and some MRPs even have health-promoting effects [6]. Our research work has focused on generating MRPs from different heat treatments of sodium caseinate (NaCas) (10% wt/wt) and lactose (10% wt/wt), then applying these MRPs as wall material in the microencapsulation of chia oil by spray drying. To promote NaCas-lactose conjugates production through the Maillard Reaction, we applied two different heat treatments (60 or 100°C, 30 min) to the protein-carbohydrate mixture, with an unheated mixture of NaCas-lactose mixture serving as a control. The absorbance, measured using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 465 nm, and the color of the aqueous phase indicated that heating the mixture to 100°C produced the most browning, which is associated with the formation of MRPs called melanoidins. Also, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrums showed that the most intense heat treatment promoted MRPs to a greater extent than lower or no heat treatment did. A DPPH (2,2-diphe-