Modulating β-carotene bioaccessibility by controlling oil composition and concentration in edible nanoemulsions

Pseudosciaena crocea roe protein-stabilized emulsions for oral delivery systems: In vitro digestion and in situ intestinal perfusion study

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) was encapsulated in oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by Pseudosciaena crocea roe protein isolate (PRPI). The stability, lipid digestion, BITC bioavailability, and retention rate of the emulsions were characterized using a simulated gastrointestinal tract model. Tween-corn and PRPI-medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) emulsions were used as controls. The membrane permeability and BITC absorption from these emulsions were investigated by in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion. The results showed that the PRPI-stabilized emulsions were stable under nonacidic environment conditions. Moreover, the PRPI-corn emulsion had more obvious protective effects than PRPI-MCT and Tween-corn emulsions. Atomic force and confocal laser scanning microscopy images showed that the protein hydrolyzed and oil droplets aggregated during simulated gastric phase digestion. Following the exposure of oil droplets in the small intestine phase, the PRPI-corn emulsion had a high rate of free fatty acid release (99.13 ± 2.49%), and the retention rate and bioavailability of BITC from the PRPI-corn emulsion were 75.93 ± 7.17% and 77.32 ± 5.36%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those measured for the other emulsions (P < 0.05). Moreover, the K_a and P_eff of the PRPI-corn emulsion reached the maximum value at 45 min and then decreased slowly. These results suggest that the PRPI-corn emulsion delivery system is effective in encapsulating, delivering, and protecting BITC. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides some useful information for the food industry to develop a Pseudosciaena crocea roe protein isolate (PRPI) emulsion that could be successfully used to construct a BITC delivery system and improve benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) bioavailability. The protective effect on BITC assessed in vitro simulated gastrointestinal tract and in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion are discussed.

Improving the Stability of Lycopene from Chemical Degradation in Model Beverage Emulsions: Impact of Hydrophilic Group Size of Emulsifier and Antioxidant Polarity

The chemical stability of the lipophilic bioactives encapsulated in emulsions can be influenced by emulsion droplet interfacial characteristics as well as by the ability of antioxidants incorporated in emulsion to prevent the degradation of the encapsulated compounds. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of the interfacial characteristics of emulsions and the polarity of antioxidants on the storage stability of lycopene in emulsions. Emulsions with 5% (w/w) oil containing lycopene (30 µmol/kg emulsion) were prepared using a series of polyethylene glycol acyl ether-type emulsifiers through microfluidization. Change in lycopene content in emulsions was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. Our findings show that the hydrophilic group size (or length) of emulsifiers and the emulsifier concentration at the interfacial film play a role, albeit minor, in controlling the storage stability of lycopene encapsulated in emulsions. Lipophilic (tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)) and amphiphilic (lauryl gallate) antioxidants similarly improved the storage stability of lycopene in emulsions from acid- and radical-mediated degradation, independent of the characteristics of interfacial films of emulsions. However, TBHQ inhibited the degradation of lycopene in emulsions more effectively than lauryl gallate under conditions intended to accelerate the acid-mediated degradation of lycopene. Therefore, our findings can provide helpful information about what type of emulsifiers and antioxidants can be chosen for preparing food emulsions capable of maximizing the stability of lycopene encapsulated therein.

Nutraceutical nanodelivery; an insight into the bioaccessibility/bioavailability of different bioactive compounds loaded within nanocarriers

Nanofoods is a current concept that is based on the application of nanotechnologies in the preparation of safe foods, with superior nutritional and sensory characteristics, and capable of providing multiple health benefits. In line with the principles of this concept, food scientists have focused on developing new types of nano biosystems that can contribute to increasing the bioavailability of bioactive compounds used in food fortification. Numerous research teams have investigated the main factors limiting oral bioavailability including: bioaccessibility, absorption and transformation of bioactive compounds and bioactive-loaded nanocarriers. The physicochemical processes involved in the factors limiting oral bioavailability have been extensively studied, such asthe release, solubility and interaction of bioactive compounds and nanocarriers during food digestion, transport mechanisms of bioactive compounds and nanoparticles through intestinal epithelial cells as well as the chemical and biochemical transformations in phase I and phase II reactions. In this comprehensive review, the physicochemical processes involved in the bioaccessibility/bioavailability of different encapsulated bioactive compounds, that play an important role in human health, will be explained including polyphenols, phytosterols, carotenoids, vitamins and minerals. In particular, the mechanisms involved in the cellular uptake of bioactive-loaded nanocarriers including transcellular transport (diffusion, endocytosis, pinocytosis, transcytosis, phagocytosis), paracellular transport (through the "tight junctions" between epithelial cells), and the active transport of bioactive compounds under the action of membrane transporters are highlighted.

Pickering emulsions stabilized by colloidal gel particles complexed or conjugated with biopolymers to enhance bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of curcumin

The aim of this study was to investigate the fate of curcumin (CUR)-loaded Pickering emulsions with complex interfaces during in vitro gastrointestinal transit and test the efficacy of such emulsions on improving the bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of CUR. CUR-loaded Pickering emulsions tested were whey protein nanogel particle-stabilized Pickering emulsions (CUR-E_WPN) and emulsions displaying complex interfaces included 1) layer-by-layer dextran sulphate-coated nanogel-stabilized Pickering emulsions (CUR-DxS+E_WPN) and 2) protein+dextran-conjugated microgel-stabilized Pickering emulsions (CUR-E_WPDxM). The hypothesis was that the presence of complex interfacial material at the droplet surface would provide better protection to the droplets against physiological degradation, particularly under gastric conditions and thus, improve the delivery of CUR to Caco-2 intestinal cells. The emulsions were characterized using droplet sizing, apparent viscosity, confocal and cryo-scanning electron microscopy, zeta-potential, lipid digestion kinetics, bioaccessibility of CUR as well as cell viability and uptake by Caco-2 cells. Emulsion droplets with modified to complex interfacial composition (i.e. CUR-DxS+E_WPN and CUR-E_WPDxM) provided enhanced kinetic stability to the Pickering emulsion droplets against coalescence in the gastric regime as compared to droplets having unmodified interface (i.e. CUR-E_WPN), whereas droplet coalescence occurred in intestinal conditions irrespective of the initial interfacial materials. A similar rate and extent of free fatty acid release occurred in all the emulsions during intestinal digestion (p > 0.05), which correlated with the bioaccessibility of CUR. Striking, CUR-DxS+E_WPN and CUR-E_WPDxM significantly improved cellular CUR uptake as compared to CUR-E_WPN (p < 0.05). These results highlight a promising new strategy of designing gastric-stable Pickering emulsions with complex interfaces to improve the delivery of lipophilic bioactive compounds to the cells for the future design of functional foods.

Improving the In Vitro Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene Using Pectin Added Nanoemulsions

The intestinal absorption of lipophilic compounds such as β-carotene has been reported to increase when they are incorporated in emulsion-based delivery systems. Moreover, the reduction of emulsions particle size and the addition of biopolymers in the systems seems to play an important role in the emulsion properties but also in their behavior under gastrointestinal conditions and the absorption of the encapsulated compound in the intestine. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of pectin addition (0%, 1%, and 2%) on the physicochemical stability of oil-in-water nanoemulsions containing β-carotene during 35 days at 4 °C, the oil digestibility and the compound bioaccessibility. The results showed that nanoemulsions presented greater stability and lower β-carotene degradation over time in comparison with coarse emulsion, which was further reduced with the addition of pectin. Moreover, nanoemulsions presented a faster digestibility irrespective of the pectin concentration used and a higher β-carotene bioaccessibility as the pectin concentration increased, being the maximum of ≈36% in nanoemulsion with 2% of pectin. These results highlight the potential of adding pectin to β-carotene nanoemulsions to enhance their functionality by efficiently preventing the compound degradation and increasing the in vitro bioaccessibility.

Development of Next-Generation Nutritionally Fortified Plant-Based Milk Substitutes: Structural Design Principles

Consumers are increasingly interested in decreasing their dietary intake of animal-based food products, due to health, sustainability, and ethical concerns. For this reason, the food industry is creating new products from plant-based ingredients that simulate many of the physicochemical and sensory attributes associated with animal-derived foods, including milk, eggs, and meat. An understanding of how the ingredient type, amount, and organization influence the desirable physicochemical, sensory, and nutritional attributes of these plant-based foods is required to achieve this goal. A potential problem with plant-based diets is that they lack key micronutrients, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and ω-3 fatty acids. The aim of this review is to present the science behind the creation of next-generation nutritionally fortified plant-based milk substitutes. These milk-like products may be formed by mechanically breaking down certain plant materials (including nuts, seeds, and legumes) to produce a dispersion of oil bodies and other colloidal matter in water, or by forming oil-in-water emulsions by homogenizing plant-based oils and emulsifiers with water. A brief overview of the formulation and fabrication of plant-based milks is given. The relationship between the optical properties, rheology, and stability of plant-based milks and their composition and structure is then covered. Approaches to fortify these products with micronutrients that may be missing from a plant-based diet are also highlighted. In conclusion, this article highlights how the knowledge of structural design principles can be used to facilitate the creation of higher quality and more sustainable plant-based food products.

Enhancing Efficacy, Performance, and Reliability of Cannabis Edibles: Insights from Lipid Bioavailability Studies

The legal sale of cannabis-enriched foods and beverages for medical or recreational purposes is increasing in many states and countries, especially in North America and Europe. These food-based cannabis delivery systems vary considerably in their compositions and structures, ranging from low-viscosity watery beverages to solid fatty chocolates. The rate and extent of release of the bioactive components in cannabis within the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affect their health and psychoactive effects. Studies with other types of hydrophobic bioactives, such as nutraceuticals and vitamins, have shown that food composition and structure have a major impact on their bioaccessibility, transformation, and absorption within the GIT, thereby influencing their bioavailability and bioactivity. This review outlines how insights on the bioavailability of other lipophilic bioactives can be used to facilitate the design of more efficacious and consistent cannabis-enriched products intended for oral consumption. In particular, the importance of food-matrix composition (such as fat type and level) and structural organization (such as fat domain dimensions) are discussed.

Nanoemulsions as delivery systems for lipophilic nutraceuticals: strategies for improving their formulation, stability, functionality and bioavailability

The food and beverage industry often need to encapsulate hydrophobic functional ingredients in their products, including colors, flavors, lipids, nutraceuticals preservatives, and vitamins. Encapsulation can improve the handling, water-dispersibility, chemically stability, and efficacy of these functional ingredients. In this review article, we focus on the design of nanoemulsion-based delivery systems to encapsulate, protect, and deliver non-polar bioactive agents, such as vitamin A, D and E, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, curcumin, resveratrol, and coenzyme Q10. Initially, the challenges associated with incorporating these different bioactives into foods are highlighted. The relative merits and drawbacks of different nanoemulsion fabrication methods are then discussed. Finally, examples of the application of nanoemulsions for improving the stability and bioavailability of various kinds of hydrophobic vitamins and nutraceuticals are provided.

Effective Droplet Size Reduction and Excellent Stability of Limonene Nanoemulsion Formed by High-Pressure Homogenizer

Limonene as an interesting bioactive material that has great benefits due to its antimicrobial and anti-carcinogen properties. However, it has several limitations such as its oxidative and oily nature. In order to overcome these limitations, a high-pressure homogenizer (HPH) was utilized to produce limonene nanoemulsion, which enhances its dispersibility while preventing oxidation with great stability. Limonene was pre-mixed with soybean oil as carrier oil prior to emulsification. The effect of soybean oil to limonene ratio, number of pass, homogenization pressure, emulsifier concentration and homogenization method were observed. A stability test was also conducted for 28 days at room temperature. The result revealed that soybean oil and limonene demonstrated a certain ratio to produce the most stable nanoemulsion. Meanwhile, emulsion size could be reduced from 327.8 nm to 55.5 nm in five passes at 1000 bar. Increasing the emulsifier concentration could reduce the droplet size to 40 nm. A comparison with other emulsification method showed that HPH was the best emulsification technique due to its intense emulsification power resulted from shear, cavitation, and droplet impacts. This study reveals that HPH is a great and simple way to produce stable limonene nanoemulsion for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

The lipid type affects the in vitro digestibility and β-carotene bioaccessibility of liquid or solid lipid nanoparticles

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are emulsion-based carriers of lipophilic bioactive compounds. However, their digestibility may be affected by the solid lipid phase composition. Hence, the aim of this work was to study the in vitro lipolysis kinetics as well as the relationship between the lipid digestion, micelle fraction composition and β-carotene bioaccessibility of SLNs with different solid lipids, being blends of medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, glyceryl stearate (GS) or hydrogenated palm oil (HPO) as compared to liquid lipid nanoparticles (LLNs) with pure MCT. SLNs formulated with GS were fully digested, similarly to LLNs. However, HPO-containing SLNs presented slower lipolysis kinetics during the intestinal phase at increasing HPO concentration. Despite this, HPO-SLNs showed higher β-carotene bioaccessibility, which was related to the higher amount of monounstaturated free fatty acids in the micelle fraction. Thus, this work provides valuable insight for designing delivery systems of bioactive compounds with optimal functionality.

Improvement of carotenoid bioaccessibility from spinach by co-ingesting with excipient nanoemulsions: impact of the oil phase composition

Many of the carotenoids found naturally in fruits and vegetables are beneficial to human health, but they often have low oral bioavailability because of their high hydrophobicity. In this study, the effects of varying the composition of the oil phase of excipient nanoemulsions on carotenoid bioaccessibility from spinach were investigated using a simulated gastrointestinal tract. Nanoemulsions containing different ratios of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and long chain triglycerides (LCT) were prepared: (i) mixing MCT and LCT oils before homogenization and (ii) mixing MCT droplets with LCT droplets after homogenization. The release of carotenoids from spinach and their solubilization within the mixed micelles formed after lipid digestion depended strongly on the oil phase composition. As expected, carotenoid bioaccessibility was always higher in the presence of excipient nanoemulsions than in their absence. The total free fatty acids released in the small intestine increased as the MCT/LCT ratio increased, which can be attributed to the faster release of shorter chain fatty acids from the oil droplet surfaces during lipid digestion. As the MCT ratio increased, lutein bioaccessibility increased but β-carotene bioaccessibility decreased. This difference was attributed to the ability of the formed mixed micelles to accommodate the two different kinds of carotenoids in their hydrophobic domains. Interestingly, carotenoid bioaccessibility was significantly lower (P < 0.05) when the oil droplets were mixed after homogenization than when the oils were mixed before homogenization. These results have important implications for the design of excipient foods to improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic nutraceuticals in fruits and vegetables.

Lipid composition modulates the intestine digestion rate and serum lipid status of different edible oils: a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies

The objective of the present study was to investigate the connections between lipid compositions and the digestion and absorption differences of different lipids. Five typical edible oils (palm oil, PO; leaf lard oil, LO; rapeseed oil, RO; sunflower oil, SO; linseed oil, LINO) were selected to conduct in vitro digestion experiments considering the lipid digestion extent and hydrolysis rate before analyzing the fatty acid composition and TAG profiles using GC and UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Meanwhile, the postprandial lipid absorption status after gavage administration was examined in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with respect to serum lipid profiles. The results showed that the maximum FFA release extent decreased in the order: PO > RO > LINO > SO > LO, and the FFA release apparent constants were PO > SO ≈ RO > LO ≈ LINO. This suggested that the fatty acid species and the location of fatty acids within TAG molecules could significantly affect the lipid digestion fates in the gastrointestinal tract, and short chain saturated fatty acids located at the Sn-1, 3 position could favor the lipid digestion process. PO and LO were both shown to be more likely to affect the serum TG levels and LDL-C : HDL-C ratio compared with RO, SO and LINO. Different fatty acids displayed different correlations with serum lipid profiles when examined by Pearson correlation analysis. This suggested that fatty acid composition and TAG profiles may influence first the digestion rate and then the serum lipid profiles. This further confirmed that lipid composition could modulate the digestion and absorption status under the gastrointestinal conditions. These findings may provide some basic understanding of the connections between lipid composition and their functional difference.

Fabrication of plant-based vitamin D3-fortified nanoemulsions: influence of carrier oil type on vitamin bioaccessibility

The influence of carrier oil type (corn, fish, or flaxseed oil) on the production, stability, and simulated gastrointestinal behavior of vitamin-fortified nanoemulsions was studied. The nanoemulsions were formulated using pea protein as an emulsifier since there is increasing interest in substituting artificial and animal-based food ingredients with natural plant-based alternatives. Lipid digestion and vitamin D3 bioaccessibility were measured when the nanoemulsions were subjected to a three-stage in vitro gastrointestinal tract: oral, gastric, and small intestinal. The majority of all three lipids were digested within the first few minutes in the simulated small intestine, with the corn oil nanoemulsions being digested faster than the fish or flaxseed oils. Moreover, a greater fraction of triglycerides were digested by the end of the small intestine for the corn oil than for the fish and flaxseed oils. For the different carrier oils, vitamin bioaccessibility was ranked: corn oil > flaxseed oil ≈ fish oil. These results suggest that monounsaturated-rich oils (such as corn oil) are better for encapsulating and delivering vitamin D3 than polyunsaturated-rich ones (such as flaxseed or fish oil). The insights gained here may aid in the formulation of more efficacious vitamin-fortified foods and beverages from plant-derived ingredients.

β-carotene and α-tocopherol coencapsulated in nanostructured lipid carriers of murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru) butter produced by phase inversion temperature method: characterisation, dynamic in vitro digestion and cell viability study

Hydrophobic bioactives can be more easily incorporated into food and have their bioavailability enhanced if nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) are used as carriers. In the present study, beta-carotene-loaded NLC were produced by low emulsification using murumuru butter and a mixture of Span 80 and Cremophor RH40 as surfactants. Their average diameter was 35 nm and alpha-tocopherol was required to protect the encapsulated β-carotene. Besides the evaluation of their physicochemical stability, NLC were submitted to dynamic in vitro digestion and cell viability assays with Caco-2 and HEPG cells. The bioaccessibility of beta-carotene in the dynamic system was about 42%. Regarding cell viability, results indicated NLC were toxic to the cell cultures tested. Such high toxicity is probably related to the type of surfactant used and to the extremely reduced particle size, which may have led to an intense and fast permeation of the NLC through the cells.

Influence of Oxygen-Containing Sulfur Flavor Molecules on the Stability of β-Carotene under UVA Irradiation

The influence of 11 kinds of oxygen-containing sulfur flavor molecules was examined on β-carotene stability under UVA irradiation in ethanol system. Both the effects of sulfides on dynamic degradation of β-carotene and the relation between structure and effect were investigated. The oxidation products of β-carotene accelerated by sulfides under UVA irradiation were also identified. The results indicated that the disulfides had more obvious accelerative effects on the photodegradation of β-carotene than mono sulfides. The degradation of β-carotene after methyl (2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide (MMFDS), methyl furfuryl disulfide (MFDS) and bis(2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide (BMFDS) exposure followed first-order kinetics. Furan-containing sulfides such as MMFDS and BMFDS showed more pronounced accelerative effects than their corresponding isomers. The oxidation products were identified as 13-cis-β-carotene, 9,13-di-cis-β-carotene and all-trans-5,6-epoxy-β-carotene. These results suggest that both the sulfur atom numbers and the furan group in oxygen-containing sulfides play a critical role in the photooxidation of β-carotene.

Development of Oral Delivery Systems with Enhanced Antioxidant and Anticancer Activity: Coix Seed Oil and β-Carotene Coloaded Liposomes

Fortifying food and beverage products with combinations of bioactive agents is a major initiative within the food industry because of their potentially additive or even synergistic benefits for human health. Coix seed oil (CSO) has been reported to possess anticancer activity, whereas β-carotene (βC) is a natural antioxidant that may also exhibit anticancer activity. However, both of these bioactives are insoluble in water and have poor oral bioavailability. The aim of this study was to overcome these obstacles by encapsulating both βC and CSO into liposomes (L-βC-CSO). The effect of different combinations of these two bioactive agents on the physiochemical properties, stability, release, antioxidant activity, and anticancer activity of the liposomes was then determined. Increasing the CSO level decreased the βC entrapment efficiency, increased the particle size, reduced the polydispersity, and raised the magnitude of the surface potential of the bioactive-loaded liposomes. Moreover, the βC and CSO levels affected their orientation within the lipid bilayer, which also influences the physiochemical properties, stability, and in vitro release behavior of the system. Compared to liposomes containing single bioactive types, the combined systems exhibited higher bioavailability and increased anticancer and antioxidant activity. These results suggest that the combined bioactive-loaded liposomes could be an efficient formulation for potential applications in functional foods and supplements.

Stability and in vitro digestibility of beta-carotene in nanoemulsions fabricated with different carrier oils

Beta-carotene, the main dietary source of provitamin A, is required for maintaining optimum human health. The bioaccessibility of beta-carotene can be greatly improved when ingested with fat. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to select proper oils (palm oil, coconut oil, fish oil, and corn oil) as a carrier to form stable nanoemulsion that can effectively enhance the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene. The nanoemulsion was formulated with 90% (v/v) aqueous solution (2% whey protein isolate, WPI, w/v) and 10% (v/v) dispersed oil. The in vitro digestion experiment of nanoemulsions showed that the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene was as followed in order: palm oil = corn oil > fish oil > coconut oil (p < 0.05). The particle size of the nanoemulsion (initial particle size = 168-185 nm) was below 200 nm during 42 days' storage at 25°C. The retention rates of beta-carotene in nanoemulsions were 69.36%, 63.81%, 49.58%, and 54.91% with palm oil, coconut oil, fish oil, and corn oil, respectively. However, the particle size of the nanoemulsion increased significantly in the accelerated experiment at 55°C (p < 0.05), in which the retention rates of beta-carotene were 48.56%, 43.41%, 29.35%, and 33.60% with palm oil, coconut oil, fish oil, and corn oil, respectively. From above, we conclude that WPI-stabilized beta-carotene nanoemulsion with palm oil as the carrier is the most suitable system to increase bioaccessibility and stability of lipid-soluble bioactive compounds such as beta-carotene.

UV and storage stability of retinol contained in oil-in-water nanoemulsions

This study was performed to examine the stability of retinol contained within oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions under UV and during storage at different temperatures. O/W emulsions were prepared using different emulsifiers and oil concentrations. The stability of the retinol contained in the O/W emulsions was investigated by measuring the percentage of residual retinol in the samples after UV exposure and storage at different temperatures (4, 25, and 40 °C). The oil concentration of the emulsion had a greater impact on UV stability than the type of emulsifier used, whereas the storage stability at different temperatures was affected by both the choice of emulsifier and the oil concentration. The storage stability of the retinol contained in the O/W emulsions may be related to the lipid oxidation properties of the emulsions rather than the latter's physical stability. Experiments with EDTA and different oil types were performed to confirm this theory.

Enhanced delivery of lipophilic bioactives using emulsions: a review of major factors affecting vitamin, nutraceutical, and lipid bioaccessibility

Many researchers are currently developing emulsion-based delivery systems to increase the bioavailability of lipophilic bioactive agents, such as oil-soluble vitamins, nutraceuticals, and lipids. Oil-in-water emulsions can be specifically designed to improve the bioavailability of these bioactives by altering their composition and structural organization. This article reviews recent progress in understanding the impact of emulsion properties on the bioaccessibility of lipophilic bioactive agents, including oil phase composition, aqueous phase composition, droplet size, emulsifier type, lipid physical state, and droplet aggregation state. This knowledge can be used to design emulsions that can enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of encapsulated hydrophobic bioactives.

In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Carotenoids and Vitamin E in Rosehip Products and Tomato Paste As Affected by Pectin Contents and Food Processing

Limited bioavailability of antioxidants present in food from fruits and vegetables matrices is determined by their low bioaccessibility due to the physical and chemical interactions of the antioxidants with the indigestible polysaccharides of cell walls. Therefore, this in vitro investigation aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of carotenoids and vitamin E from rosehips as well as from tomato paste and to investigate several aspects of effects of pectin contents and food processing on bioaccessibility. Following the addition of the enzyme mixture Fructozym P6-XL, the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from rosehips as well as from tomato paste significantly increased. The average relative increase in bioaccessibility from rosehips was lower for ( all-E)-β-carotene compared with ( all-E)-lycopene and ( all-E)-rubixanthin. In contrast, increases of bioaccessibility of α-tocopherol were comparable for rosehip samples and tomato paste.

Physicochemical Properties and Chemical Stability of β-Carotene Bilayer Emulsion Coated with Bovine Serum Albumin and Arabic Gum Compared to Monolayer Emulsions

β-carotene is a lipophilic micronutrient that is considered beneficial to human health. However, there are some limitations in utilizing β-carotene in functional foods or dietary supplements currently because of its poor water dispersibility and chemical stability. A new type of β-carotene bilayer emulsion delivery system was prepared by a layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition technique, for which were chosen bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the inner emulsifier and Arabic gum (GA) as the outer emulsifier. The physicochemical properties of bilayer emulsions were mainly characterized by droplet size distribution, zeta potential, rheological behavior, Creaming Index (CI), and encapsulation ratio of β-carotene. Besides this, the effects of processing conditions (pH, thermal treatment, UV radiation, strong oxidant) and storage time on the chemical stability of bilayer emulsions were also evaluated. The bilayer emulsion had a small droplet size (221.27 ± 5.17 nm) and distribution (PDI = 0.23 ± 0.02), strong zeta potential (-30.37 ± 0.71 mV), good rheological behavior (with the highest viscosity that could reduce the possibility of flocculation) and physical stability (CI = 0), high β-carotene encapsulation ratio (94.35 ± 0.71%), and low interfacial tension (40.81 ± 0.86 mN/m). It also obtained better chemical stability under different environmental stresses when compared with monolayer emulsions studied, because it had a dense and thick bilayer structure.

Physicochemical stability, antioxidant properties and bioaccessibility of β-carotene in orange oil-in-water beverage emulsions: influence of carrier oil types

The bioaccessibility of β-carotene in beverage emulsions was enhanced by modifying the lipid composition of the dispersed phase.

Enhancement of phytochemical bioaccessibility from plant-based foods using excipient emulsions: impact of lipid type on carotenoid solubilization from spinach

Effects of lipid type in excipient emulsions on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids (lutein and β-carotene) in spinach were studied using a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT).