Eight chia essential oil-in-water fresh emulsions (E) variations were prepared using biopolymers blends whey protein concentrate (WPC) with mesquite gum (MG) or gum Arabic (GA), core to wall material ratios (C-o:W-a) of 1:2 and 1:3, and total solids contents (TSC) of 30 and 40 wt%. All E variations displayed volume-weighted mean size (d(4.3)) droplet sizes that fell within 2.32 and 3.35 mu m and rates of droplet coalescence (k(c)) of 10(-8) s(-1). E variations were spray-dried and the resulting microcapsules (M) had d(4.3) falling within the range of 13.17-28.20 mu m. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was higher than 70% for all M, but those obtained from E with lower TSC and higher C-o:W-a displayed higher EE and lower surface oil, independently of M particle size. The reconstituted emulsions (RE) exhibited significantly higher d(4.3) and k(c) values of the same magnitude as E variations. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.