Blanco-Morales V, Mercatante D, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Garcia-Llatas G. Current and New Insights on Delivery Systems for Plant Sterols in Food.
ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024;
1440:403-435. [PMID:
38036891 DOI:
10.1007/978-3-031-43883-7_20]
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Abstract
Plant sterols are minor bioactive components of food lipids, which are often used for the formulation of functional foods due to their cholesterol-lowering properties. However, they have low solubility and tend to crystallize, which may affect their biological effects, the sensory profile of the sterol-enriched food, and its consumer acceptability. Moreover, due to the unsaturated structure of sterols, they are susceptible to oxidation, so different encapsulation systems have been developed to improve their dispersibility/solubility, stability, delivery, and bioaccessibility. This chapter provides an overview of the main encapsulation systems currently used for plant sterols and their application in model and food systems, with a particular focus on their efficiency and impact on sterol bioaccessibility.
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