The progress and application of vitamin E encapsulation – A review

Protection of α-Tocopherol from UV-Induced Degradation by Encapsulation into Zein Nanoparticles

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with several forms. Among these, α-tocopherol (TOC) is preferentially absorbed and accumulated in humans. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. It is an organic chemical compound that undergoes degradation upon irradiation with UV light. To protect this bioactive chemical compound from UV light degradation, encapsulation was carried out using zein as a shell material. Due to the unique phase diagram of TOC in aqueous ethanol, the encapsulation efficiency was >99%. The size of encapsulated particles was ~300 nm or smaller, and the thickness of the shell wall was ~30 nm. The presented procedure offers the most simple and efficient encapsulation process that yields edible products. The investigation of the irradiation effect of UV on TOC revealed that the encapsulation effectively blocks UV light and prevents TOC from being degraded. The presented procedure offers an instantaneous and highly efficient encapsulation process, which yields edible products.

Carbomer Hydrogels with Microencapsulated α-Tocopherol: Focus on the Biocompatibility of the Microcapsules, Topical Application Attributes, and In Vitro Release Study

The microencapsulation of α-tocopherol based on the complex coacervation of low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMWC) and sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) without harmful crosslinkers can provide biocompatible carriers that protect it from photodegradation and air oxidation. In this study, the influence of the microcapsule wall composition on carrier performance, compatibility with a high-water-content vehicle for topical application, and release of α-tocopherol were investigated. Although the absence of aldehyde crosslinkers decreased the encapsulation efficiency of α-tocopherol (~70%), the variation in the LMWC/SLES mass ratio (2:1 or 1:1) had no significant effect on the moisture content and microcapsule size. The prepared microcapsule-loaded carbomer hydrogels were soft semisolids with pseudoplastic flow behavior. The integrity of microcapsules embedded in the hydrogel was confirmed by light microscopy. The microcapsules reduced the pH, apparent viscosity, and hysteresis area of the hydrogels, while increasing their spreading ability on a flat inert surface and dispersion rate in artificial sweat. The in vitro release of α-tocopherol from crosslinker-free microcapsule-loaded hydrogels was diffusion-controlled. The release profile was influenced by the LMWC/SLES mass ratio, apparent viscosity, type of synthetic membrane, and acceptor medium composition. Better data quality for the model-independent analysis was achieved when a cellulose nitrate membrane and ethyl alcohol 60% w/w as acceptor medium were used.

Cyclodextrins and their potential applications for delivering vitamins, iron, and iodine for improving micronutrient status

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have been investigated as potential biopolymeric carriers that can form inclusion complexes with numerous bioactive ingredients. The inclusion of micronutrients (e.g. vitamins or minerals) into cyclodextrins can enhance their solubility and provide oxidative or thermal stability. It also enables the formulation of products with extended shelf-life. The designed delivery systems with CDs and their inclusion complexes including electrospun nanofibers, emulsions, liposomes, and hydrogels, show potential in enhancing the solubility and oxidative stability of micronutrients while enabling their controlled and sustained release in applications including food packaging, fortified foods and dietary supplements. Nano or micrometer-sized delivery systems capable of controlling burst release and permeation, or moderating skin hydration have been reported, which can facilitate the formulation of several personal and skin care products for topical or transdermal delivery of micronutrients. This review highlights recent developments in the application of CDs for the delivery of micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, iron, and iodine, which play key roles in the human body, emphasizing their existing and potential applications in the food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals industries.

Fabrication, characterization and release behavior of α-tocopherol acetate-loaded pH-responsive polyhydroxybutyrate/cellulose acetate phthalate microbeads

Microbeads are used in personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs) but are produced from nondegradable materials. Biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) has been recognized as a promising alternative material for use in PCCPs; however, utilizing PHB to encapsulate PCCPs is challenging because PCCPs need to be protected from the environment but their release needs to be permitted under specific physiological conditions. The aim of this work was to develop and evaluate pH-responsive cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) to formulate lipophilic α-tocopherol acetate (α-TA)-loaded pH-responsive PHB/CAP microbeads. The influences of the PHB/CAP ratio and initial α-TA loading on the microbead size, surface morphology, encapsulation efficiency (%EE), loading capacity (%LC), and α-TA release profile were studied. The microbeads exhibited a spherical shape with a size of 328.7 ± 2.9 μm. The EE and LC were 86.7 ± 2.6 % and 13.5 ± 0.4 %, respectively. The release profile exhibited pH-responsive characteristics. These α-TA-loaded pH-responsive microbeads were stable with >50 % of the α-TA remaining after 90 days at 4, 25 and 45 °C in the dark. The results from the cytotoxicity assay with PSVK1 cells demonstrated that the microbeads were nontoxic. Hence, our developed formulation has the potential to be used to encapsulate oil-based drugs to formulate lipophilic substance-loaded pH-responsive microbeads.

Efficient encapsulation of fat-soluble food-derived biofunctional substances (curcumin as an example) in dual-modified starch-based nanoparticles containing large conjugated systems

Acid-ethanol hydrolysis and subsequent cinnamic acid (CA) esterification were employed to prepare a series of dual-modified starches efficiently loaded with curcumin (Cur) utilizing large conjugation systems provided by CA. Structures of the dual-modified starches were confirmed by IR and NMR, and their physicochemical properties were characterized by SEM, XRD and TGA. The nanoparticles fabricated from the dual-modified starch have perfect spherical shape (250.7-448.5 nm, polydispersity index <0.3), excellent biosafety (no hematotoxicity, no cytotoxicity, no mutagenicity) and high loading of Cur (up to 26.7 % loading). By XPS analysis, this high loading is believed to be supported by the synergistic effect of hydrogen bonding (provided by hydroxyl groups) and π-π interactions (provided by large conjugation system). In addition, the encapsulation of dual-modified starch nanoparticles effectively enhanced the water solubility (18-fold) and physical stability (6-8-fold) of free Cur. In vitro gastrointestinal release showed that Cur-encapsulated dual-modified starch nanoparticles were released more preferably than free Cur and that the Korsmeyer-Peppas model was the most suitable release model. These studies suggest that dual-modified starches containing large conjugation systems would be a better alternative for encapsulating fat-soluble food-derived biofunctional substances in functional food and pharmaceutical applications.

Supplement Consumption and Periodontal Health: An Exploratory Survey Using the BigMouth Repository

BACKGROUND

Dietary supplements have been investigated for their impact on the periodontal apparatus (alveolar bone, mucosa, periodontal ligament, and cementum) and their hypothetical protective role against periodontitis. There remains a gap in the field in this area. Thus, the present study aims to examine the correlation between populations who report taking different dietary supplements and their relative periodontal health.

METHODS

The BigMouth dental data repository derived from the dental Electronic Health Records (EHRs) of the University of Michigan school of dentistry was used to extract data relating to all patients who fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The prevalence of periodontitis compared to periodontal health as related to supplement consumption was assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 118,426 individuals (55,459 males and 62,967 females) with self-reported consumption of the dietary supplements of interest were identified in the University of Michigan database via the BigMouth repository. Associations with the following vitamins were investigated, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Multivitamins, Fish oil, Calcium, Omega 3, Saw palmetto, Zinc, Sildenafil, Flax seed, Folic acid, Garlic pills, Ginger pills, Ginko, Ginseng, Glucosamine, Iron, and Magnesium. Out of these supplements, only multivitamins and iron were found to significantly favor periodontal health, while folic acid and vitamin E significantly favored periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found a minimal association between the consumption of dietary supplements with periodontal health.

Current Applications of Liposomes for the Delivery of Vitamins: A Systematic Review

Liposomes have been used for several decades for the encapsulation of drugs and bioactives in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. On the other hand, the use of these phospholipid vesicles in food applications is more recent and is increasing significantly in the last ten years. Although in different stages of technological maturity-in the case of cosmetics, many products are on the market-processes to obtain liposomes suitable for the encapsulation and delivery of bioactives are highly expensive, especially those aiming at scaling up. Among the bioactives proposed for cosmetics and food applications, vitamins are the most frequently used. Despite the differences between the administration routes (oral for food and mainly dermal for cosmetics), some challenges are very similar (e.g., stability, bioactive load, average size, increase in drug bioaccessibility and bioavailability). In the present work, a systematic review of the technological advancements in the nanoencapsulation of vitamins using liposomes and related processes was performed; challenges and future perspectives were also discussed in order to underline the advantages of these drug-loaded biocompatible nanocarriers for cosmetics and food applications.

Recent advances in encapsulation of fat-soluble vitamins using polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids: A review on delivery systems, formulation, and industrial applications

Fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) offer a range of beneficial properties as important nutrients in human nutrition. However, the high susceptibility to environmental conditions such as high temperature, light, and oxygen leads to the degradation of these compounds. This review highlights the different formulations underlying the encapsulation of FSVs in biopolymer (polysaccharide and protein) and lipid-based micro or nanocarriers for potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. In particular, the function of these carrier systems in terms of encapsulation efficiency, stability, bioavailability, and bio-accessibility is critically discussed. Recently, tremendous attention has been paid to encapsulating FSVs in commercial applications. According to the chemical nature of the active compound, the vigilant selection of delivery formulation, method of encapsulation, and final application (type of food) are the key important factors to be considered in the encapsulation of FSVs to ensure a high loading capacity, stability, bioavailability, and bio-accessibility. Future studies are recommended on the effect of different vitamin types and micro and nano encapsulate sizes on bioaccessibility and biocompatibility through in vitro/in vivo studies. Moreover, the toxicity and safety evaluation of encapsulated FSVs in human health should be evaluated before commercial application in food and pharmaceuticals.

Pea and Soy Protein Stabilized Emulsions: Formulation, Structure, and Stability Studies

During the last decades, there has been a huge consumer concern about animal proteins that has led to their replacement with plant proteins. Most of those proteins exhibit emulsifying properties; thus, the food industry begins their extensive use in various food matrices. In the present study, pea and soy protein isolates (PPI and SPI) were tested as potential candidates for stabilizing food emulsions to encapsulate α-tocopherol and squalene. More specifically, PPI and SPI particles were formulated using the pH modification method. Following, emulsions were prepared using high-shear homogenization and were observed at both a microscopic and macroscopic level. Furthermore, the adsorption of the proteins was measured using the bicinchoninic acid protein assay. The emulsions’ droplet size as well as their antioxidant capacity were also evaluated. It was found that the droplet diameter of the SPI-based emulsions was 60.0 μm, while the PPI ones had a relatively smaller diameter of approximately 57.9 μm. In the presence of the bioactives, both emulsions showed scavenging activity of the 2,20-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) radical cation (ABTS·+) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, with the ones loaded with α-tocopherol having the greatest antioxidant capacity. Overall, the proposed systems are very good candidates in different food matrices, with applications ranging from vegan milks and soups to meat alternative products.

Encapsulation of Folic Acid and α-Tocopherol in Lysozyme Particles and Their Bioaccessibility in the Presence of DNA

Protein particles have been reported as the potential carriers for the co-encapsulation of bioactive components. In this study, lysozyme, a basic protein, was used to simultaneously encapsulate folic acid and α-tocopherol at pH 4.0. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of folic acid or α-tocopherol increased with its respective concentration. Folic acid had no influence on the encapsulation of α-tocopherol. However, the encapsulation of folic acid was improved by α-tocopherol below 40 μg/mL but reduced by α-tocopherol at higher concentrations. The encapsulation by lysozyme shielded folic acid, α-tocopherol, or both partially from the attack of 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation. No masking effect of lysozyme encapsulation on α-tocopherol was found in DPPH antioxidant activity assay. Furthermore, the DNA coating was used to improve the dispersion of lysozyme with folic acid and α-tocopherol. The lysozyme/DNA particles with folic acid and α-tocopherol showed a homogenous size distribution of 180-220 nm with ζ-potential values between -33 and -36 mV. The release and bioaccessibility of folic acid in lysozyme/DNA with α-tocopherol were similar to that of folic acid alone, while the release of α-tocopherol was delayed and its bioaccessibility was improved by encapsulation in lysozyme/DNA with folic acid. The data gathered here would provide guidance for the use of lysozyme-based co-encapsulating carriers in the development of functional foods.

Liposomes for encapsulation of liposoluble vitamins (A, D, E and K): Comparation of loading ability, storage stability and bilayer dynamics

To understand the encapsulation difference and stability mechanism of nanoliposomes (NLPs) loaded with different kinds and loads of liposoluble vitamins (LSV, including VA, VD, VE, and VK), the physicochemical stability during three-months storage and bilayer membrane properties of LSV-NLPs were evaluated. The results suggested that VD and VE were not suitable for high-load (≥30 wt%) encapsulation, but the stability of other LSV-NLPs was excellent during storage. Their particle size was less than 100 nm, the polydispersity index was less than 0.3, and the retention rate of VE and VK remained above 85 %. LSV encapsulation inhibited malondialdehyde production, decreased liposome surface roughness, and improved nanoliposome rigidity. The order of occupying capacity of LSV to the hydrophobic zone of the bilayer was VK＞VD＞VE＞VA, and the stability of LSV located in the hydrophobic region was better. Except for high-load VD and VE, the other LSV encapsulation increased the microviscosity of the lipid-water interface and hydrophobic zone by 0.5 ∼ 7.1 times and 0.5 ∼ 20 times, respectively. The accumulation of acyl chain was enhanced by 0.2 ∼ 4 times, and the interchain longitudinal and intra-chain transverse order degree was increased by 10.89 %∼144.35 % and 3.26 %∼115.52 %, respectively. High microviscosity and tight chain stacking limited bilayer fluidity and thus improve LSV-NLPs stability. This work will contribute to the application of nanoliposomes as liposoluble vitamin carriers in the food industry.

Investigation of Bioactive Components in New Resistant Hungarian Tomato Hybrids

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of genetic impact on the content of some characteristic secondary metabolites in tomato fruits. The study was conducted to screen 14 different tomato genotypes for antioxidant capacity and quality attributes (polyphenols, tocopherols, carotenoids, vitamin C) to select the genetic lines with high biological value, multiple disease resistance, and high yield capacity for further usage in crop improvement programs. Significant differences were found among the different hybrids and cultivation seasons for the phytochemical content of the fruits. The varieties developed by breeding to increase their resistance were found to differ significantly. During a 3-year cultivation experiment, the level of lycopene in freshly harvested fruits ranged between 10.38 and 63.23 mg.kg^-1 fwt for outdoor-cultivated Naik114 and Naik352, respectively. As for β-carotene, its content varied between 0.49 mg.kg^-1 for Unorosso and 11.66 mg.kg^-1 for Cherrola F1. The highest level of vitamin C (702.59 mg.kg^-1) was recorded for Cherrola F1, while the lowest level (1.36.86 mg.kg^-1) was determined in fruits of Unorosso. Neither polyphenol nor vitamin C showed positive correlation with antioxidant activity. In the three cultivation seasons, the highest concentration of polyphenols (579.19-804.12 mg.kg^-1 fwt) was determined in fruits of outdoor-cultivated Cherolla F1 variety. The α- and γ-tocopherol content varied between 2.56 and 18.99 mg.kg^-1, and 0.28 and 9.35 mg.kg^-1, respectively, in fresh tomato fruit. Among the newly bred resistant varieties, the ZKI114 variety was proved to have outstanding features concerning the amounts of the bioactive components.

Enzymatic lipophilization of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity: a review

Food products contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic and polyphenolic compounds and vitamins, resulting in a myriad of biological characteristics such as antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant activities. However, their application is often restricted because of their relatively low solubility and stability in emulsions and oil-based products. Therefore, chemical, enzymatic, or chemoenzymatic lipophilization of these compounds can be achieved by grafting a non-polar moiety onto their polar structures. Among different methods, enzymatic modification is considered environmentally friendly and may require only minor downstream processing and purification steps. In recent years, different systems have been suggested to design the synthetic reaction of these novel products. This review presents the new trends in this area by summarizing the essential enzymatic modifications in the last decade that led to the synthesis of bioactive compounds with attractive antioxidative properties for the food industry by emphasizing on optimization of the reaction conditions to maximize the production yields. Lastly, recent developments regarding characterization, potential applications, emerging research areas, and needs are highlighted.

Plant Antioxidants in Dry Fermented Meat Products with a Healthier Lipid Profile

Consumers' perception of meat products has changed in recent years, which has led to an increased interest in healthier meat products. In response to this demand, academia and industry have made efforts to reformulate meat products, especially dry fermented meat products, which are known for their high fat contents, mainly saturated fat. The use of plant or marine oils stabilized in emulsion gels (EGs) or oil-bulking agents (OBAs) as animal fat replacers has been one of the most advantageous strategies to reformulate dry fermented meat products with a healthier lipid content (quality and quantity), but an increase in their polyunsaturated fatty acid content can trigger a significant increase in lipid oxidation, negatively affecting sensory and nutritional quality. The use of antioxidants is the main strategy to delay this deteriorative reaction, but the controversy around the safety and toxicity of synthetic antioxidants has driven consumers and industry toward the use of plant antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and some vitamins and minerals. This review provides information about the use of plant antioxidants to control lipid oxidation of dry fermented meat products with healthier lipids.

Revisiting the therapeutic potential of tocotrienol

The therapeutic potential of the tocotrienol group stems from its nutraceutical properties as a dietary supplement. It is largely considered to be safe when consumed at low doses for attenuating pathophysiology as shown by animal models, in vitro assays, and ongoing human trials. Medical researchers and the allied sciences have experimented with tocotrienols for many decades, but its therapeutic potential was limited to adjuvant or concurrent treatment regimens. Recent studies have focused on targeted drug delivery by enhancing the bioavailability through carriers, self-sustained emulsions, nanoparticles, and ethosomes. Epigenetic modulation and computer remodeling are other means that will help increase chemosensitivity. This review will focus on the systemic intracellular anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms that are stimulated and/or regulated by tocotrienols while highlighting its potent therapeutic properties in a diverse group of clinical diseases.

Contribution of Tocopherols in Commonly Consumed Foods to Estimated Tocopherol Intake in the Chinese Diet

Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble nutrient mainly found in vegetable oils, nuts, and other foods. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of commonly consumed foods to the vitamin E dietary intake of the population in relation to their consumption practices. In addition, the vitamin E intakes of Chinese residents were compared in different regions of China and in different years. The results showed that vegetable oil was the main source of vitamin E dietary intake for Chinese residents, accounting for 46.76% of total dietary intake of vitamin E, followed by cereals, vegetables, meat, aquatic products, eggs, legumes, nuts, fruits and dairy products. Among all vegetable oils, rapeseed oil was the highest contributor of vitamin E, accounting for 10.73% of all foods. Due to dietary habits and regional differences, vitamin E intake also varies greatly among residents in different regions of China and has increased yearly from 1982 to 2020. This study provides with scientific evidence for reasonable VE supplementation.