Thermal stability and bioavailability of inclusion complexes of perilla oil with γ-cyclodextrin

•Perilla oil was powdered by inclusion complexation with γ-cyclodextrin.•The complexes were stable at 40 °C for six days.•Rats easily absorbed α-linolenic acid from ingested inclusion complexes.•Ingested complexes increased plasma α-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids level.•No adverse events occurred in rats throughout this study. Perilla oil is abundant in α-linolenic acid, which is metabolized to long-chain n-3 fatty acids. This study aimed to determine thermal stability and bioavailability of perilla oil that was powdered by inclusion complexation with γ-cyclodextrin. Fatty acid analysis revealed that the relative abundance of α-linolenic and linoleic acids in the complexes was not affected by heating at 40 °C for six days but decreased after heating at 60 °C for three days. No adverse events occurred in rats fed with an experimental diet containing the complexes for two weeks. Plasma α-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids in rats fed with diets containing complexes and liquid perilla oil were equally high, indicating the preserved bioavailability of perilla oil in the complexes. Plasma arachidonic acid decreased only in rats fed with a diet containing the complexes. Results suggest that the complexes have potential as a useful source of α-linolenic acid to increase plasma n-3 fatty acids.