Protection of β-Carotene from Chemical Degradation in Emulsion-Based Delivery Systems Using Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) Gonad Protein Isolates

Construction of benzyl isothiocyanate-loaded fish skin gelatin-luteolin compound emulsion delivery system, and its digestion and absorption characteristics

BACKGROUND

Fish skin gelatin (FSG) and luteolin (LUT) were used as composite emulsifiers, and benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) was used as a model of nutrient delivery to construct a stable emulsion. The storage stability of the FSG-LUT emulsion and its effect on BITC release were investigated both in vitro and ex vivo.

RESULTS

LUT can quench FSG fluorophores statically and form a stable complex through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The FSG-LUT emulsion storage stability and embedding rate were higher than those of the FSG emulsion. The FSG-LUT emulsion microstructure was resistant to oral and gastric digestion, and the BITC retention rate and bioaccessibility were much higher than those of the FSG emulsion. Lastly, the ex vivo everted gut sac of rat intestine study demonstrated that BITC showed the highest absorption in the ileum, and the FSG-LUT emulsion absorbed BITC and sustained a controlled release in a specific position.

CONCLUSION

LUT could form stable complexes with FSG, which improved the stability and bioavailability of BITC in the FSG-LUT emulsion delivery system, and promoted further intestinal BITC absorption. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Research advances of in vivo biological fate of food bioactives delivered by colloidal systems

Food bioactives exhibit various health-promoting effects and are widely used in functional foods to maintain human health. After oral intake, bioactives undergo complex biological processes before reaching the target organs to exert their biological effects. However, several factors may reduce their bioavailability. Colloidal systems have attracted special attention due to their great potential to improve bioavailability and bioefficiency. Herein, we focus on the importance of in vivo studies of the biological fates of bioactives delivered by colloidal systems. Increasing evidence demonstrates that the construction, composition, and physicochemical properties of the delivery systems significantly influence the in vivo biological fates of bioactives. These results demonstrate the great potential to control the in vivo behavior of food bioactives by designing specific delivery systems. We also compare in vivo and in vitro models used for biological studies of the fate of food bioactives delivered by colloidal systems. Meanwhile, the significance of the gut microbiota, targeted delivery, and personalized nutrition should be carefully considered. This review provides new insight for further studies of food bioactives delivered by colloidal systems, as well as scientific guidance for the reasonable design of personalized nutrition.

Improving the in vitro and in vivo bioavailability of pterostilbene using Yesso scallop gonad protein isolates-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) conjugate-based emulsions: effects of carrier oil

This study investigated the influence of carrier oils on the in vitro and in vivo bioavailability of PTE encapsulated in scallop gonad protein isolates (SGPIs)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) conjugate stabilized emulsions. The SGPIs-EGCG stabilized emulsions were subjected to an in vitro simulated digestion, and the resulting corn oil and MCT micelles were used to evaluate the PTE transportation using the Caco-2 cell model. Both emulsions remarkably improved the bioaccessibility of PTE in the micelle phase. Nevertheless, corn oil emulsions increased trans-enterocyte transportation of PTE more efficiently than MCT emulsions. Furthermore, the maximum plasma concentrations of PTE and its metabolites in mice fed with PTE emulsions were prominently higher than those in mice fed with PTE solution, while the in vivo metabolic patterns of PTE in different oil-stabilized emulsions were different. Therefore, SGPIs-EGCG stabilized emulsions could enhance the bioavailability of PTE through controlled release, in which corn oil is more suitable than MCT.

Design, synthesis and characterization of lysozyme-gentisic acid dual-functional conjugates with antibacterial/antioxidant activities

Both microbiological and chemical food spoilages remain to be the major challenges in the food industry's efforts to combat food waste and loss because of the lack of high efficacy food preservatives. In this study, dual-functional conjugates that simultaneously suppress both lipid oxidation and microorganism growth are fabricated by covalently conjugating natural antioxidant gentisic acid (GA) on native antibacterial lysozyme (Lys). The mixing ratio of Lys and GA determines the particle size, morphology, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial performance of the ensuing conjugates. With more of GA being grafted, a drastic decrease in the net surface charge with the concomitant occurrence of aggregations are observed in the conjugates. The maximum antioxidant activity and antibacterial performance of the conjugates is achieved when Lys:GA molar ratio is 1:112. The findings could guide the rational design of future functional food ingredients that combine multiple natural bioactive compounds to effectively intervene food waste and loss.

Fabrication and characterization of Pickering emulsion gels stabilized by zein/pullulan complex colloidal particles

BACKGROUND

Zein particles are unsuitable as stabilizers of Pickering emulsions because of their high hydrophobicity. However, few studies have reported on the use of a strong hydrophilic neutral polysaccharide to regulate its wettability. In this work, zein/pullulan complex particles (ZPPs) were formulated by an anti-solvent method to fabricate Pickering emulsions.

RESULTS

The presence of pullulan increased the size, decreased the zeta, and provided excellent resistance to the gravitational separation of zein. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the shape of zein particles changed from spherical as they became aggregated ZPP nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that the flocculation phenomenon of ZPPs was related to the hydrogen bond between zein and pullulan. Moreover, the hydrophobicity of zein was modified by hydrophilic pullulan to endow the ZPPs with nearly neutral wettability when the mass ratio was 15:1, allowing for the preparation of stable Pickering emulsions. In contrast to zein, the ZPPs contributed to building a compact interface layer around the droplets and smaller emulsion droplets. Under a certain ZPP concentration, the size and viscosity of emulsion increased with an increase in the oil volume fraction, indicating that the Pickering emulsions stabilized by ZPPs showed better stability against coalescence. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that the ZPPs constructed a dense filling layer on the surface of oil droplets, thus further emphasizing that ZPPs can potentially be used in fabricating Pickering emulsion gels.

CONCLUSION

Zein/pullulan complex particles are an excellent Pickering emulsion gel stabilizer that can be used in the delivery system of bioactive substances in food formulations. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synergistic gelation in the hybrid gel of scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) male gonad hydrolysates and xanthan gum

This study evaluated the gel and microstructure properties of scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) male gonads hydrolysates (SMGHs) combined with xanthan gum (XG). SMGHs/XG hydrogel matrix properties and structures were elucidated via different analysis tools such as rheometry, LF-NMR, FTIR, AFM, and Cryo-SEM. The addition of XG significantly improved the rheological properties of SMGHs, as indicated by 3.1-fold G' and 1.3-fold melting temperature with increasing the XG dose to 5.6 mg/ml. The corresponding decrease in the T₂₃ relaxation time from 450.3 to 365.6 ms also signified the strong binding between SMGHs and XG. SMGHs/XG also had a higher proton density (T₁ and T₂ weighted images) due to the higher bound and free water content of the hybrid gel systems, respectively. Additionally, the blueshift in the amide I and II bands in SMGHs/XG further indicated stronger electrostatic interactions between SMGHs and XG. Such scenarios resulted in a well-distributed and compact network with a rougher surface of SMGHs/XG in comparison to pure SMGHs and XG, as assessed by AFM and SEM. These results suggest that SMGHs/XG gel could be a potential hybrid gel applied in the food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) male gonads are edible, but are usually discarded during processing of scallop adductor. Because of its rich nutrition and gelation properties, scallop male gonads have a potential role in developing marine source-protein as a functional food base. The SMGHs/XG binary gel would be potentially applied in delivery system in food and biological fields. Further study is undergoing to apply SMGHs/XG binary gel to embed bioactive compounds, such as curcumin and β-carotene.

An overview of nanoemulsion characterization via atomic force microscopy

Nanoemulsion-based systems are widely applied in food industries for protecting active ingredients against oxidation and degradation and controlling the release rate of active core ingredients under particular conditions. Visualizing the interface morphology and measuring the interfacial interaction forces of nanoemulsion droplets are essential to tailor and design intelligent nanoemulsion-based systems. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is being established as an important technique for interface characterization, due to its unique advantages over traditional imaging and surface force-determining approaches. However, there is a gap in knowledge about the applicability of AFM in characterizing the droplet interface properties of nanoemulsions. This review aims to describe the fundamentals of the AFM technique and nanoemulsions, mainly focusing on the recent use of AFM to investigate nanoemulsion properties. In addition, by reviewing interfacial studies on emulsions in general, perspectives for the further development of AFM to study nanoemulsions are also discussed.