Advances in EPA-GPLs: Structural features, mechanisms of nutritional functions and sources

Advances in encapsulation systems of Antarctic krill oil: From extraction to encapsulation, and future direction

Antarctic krill oil (AKO) is highly sought after by consumers and the food industry due to its richness in a variety of nutrients and physiological activities. However, current extraction methods are not sufficient to better extract AKO and its nutrients, and AKO is susceptible to lipid oxidation during processing and storage, leading to nutrient loss and the formation of off-flavors and toxic compounds. The development of various extraction methods and encapsulation systems for AKO to improve oil yield, nutritional value, antioxidant capacity, and bioavailability has become a research hotspot. This review summarizes the research progress of AKO from extraction to encapsulation system construction. The AKO extraction mechanism, technical parameters, oil yield and composition of solvent extraction, aqueous enzymatic extraction, supercritical/subcritical extraction, and three-liquid-phase salting-out extraction system are described in detail. The principles, choice of emulsifier/wall materials, preparation methods, advantages and disadvantages of four common encapsulation systems for AKO, namely micro/nanoemulsions, microcapsules, liposomes and nanostructured lipid carriers, are summarized. These four encapsulation systems are characterized by high encapsulation efficiency, low production cost, high bioavailability and high antioxidant capacity. Depending on the unique advantages and conditions of different encapsulation methods, as well as consumer demand for health and nutrition, different products can be developed. However, existing AKO encapsulation systems lack relevant studies on digestive absorption and targeted release, and the single product category of commercially available products limits consumer choice. In conjunction with clinical studies of AKO encapsulation systems, the development of encapsulation systems for special populations should be a future research direction.

Gut microbiome and brain transcriptome analyses reveal the effect of walnut oil in preventing scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment

Walnut Oil (WO) is recognized for its potential to improve cognition, but the mechanisms of its action related to improving cognitive impairment are not yet clear. In this study, the components of walnut oil were measured, and it was found that WO supplementation for 8 weeks could significantly prevent cognitive behavioral deficits and synaptic dysfunction induced by intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine (SCOP) in mice. By comparing and analyzing the changes in the hippocampal synaptic structure, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter fluctuations, brain transcriptome, inflammatory factors and gut microbiota in mice from different treatment groups, we observed a significant correlation between synaptic transmission genes, gut microbiota and neurotransmission in the WO supplemented group. It was found that WO supplementation could influence the secretion of neurotransmitters Ach and 5-HT by modulating the gut microbiota in vivo, thereby improving cognitive impairment through the central nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation.

Crabs Eriocheir japonica and Paralithodes camtschaticus Are a Rich Source of Lipid Molecular Species with High Nutritional Value

Due to their valuable meat and hepatopancreas, the world's most famous delicacies, crabs, have become target species of commercial fisheries and aquaculture. By methods of supercritical fluid and high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry, we analyzed triacylglycerols (TG) and phospholipids (PL)-glycerophosphoethanolamines (PE), glycerophosphocholines (PC), glycerophosphoserines (PS), and glycerophosphoinositols (PI)-in the hepatopancreas and muscles of the Japanese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica and the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus inhabiting the Sea of Japan. TGs were the main class of lipids in the crab hepatopancreas, while they were found in trace amounts in muscle. TGs of E. japonica differed from those of P. camtschaticus by a higher content of 16:0, 16:1, 18:2, and 20:4 FA and a lower content of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. The Japanese mitten crab differed from the red king crab by a lower content of molecular species with eicosapentaenoic acid in PC and PI; an increased content of arachidonic acid in PE, PS, and PI; and a lower content of molecular species with docosahexaenoic acid in PE in the hepatopancreas and muscles. The high nutritional value of the crabs E. japonica and P. camtschaticus was confirmed by a high content of molecular species of lipids with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The data of the lipid molecular species profile provide new background information for future studies on biochemistry and aquaculture of crabs.

Preliminary Estimation of Nutritional Quality of the Meat, Liver, and Fat of the Indigenous Yakutian Cattle Based on Their Fatty Acid Profiles

The Yakutian cattle is an indigenous Siberian cattle breed living in an extremely cold climate in some parts of Yakutia. There are only a few thousand animals of this breed, and the conservation of the Yakutian cattle is embedded in the international agenda. We studied the fatty acid profiles in the meat, liver, and fat of the Yakutian cattle (five individuals) of different ages and their main food resource-pasture plants. The fatty acid profile of the tissues of the Yakutian cattle differed from that of pasture plants: 16:0, 18:2n-6, and 18:3n-3 dominated in the pasture plants; 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3 dominated in the meat and liver; and 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1n-9 dominated in the fat. The fatty acid composition of food products is related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The meat and liver of the Yakutian cattle are health food products that contribute to decreasing the risk of developing CVD because of their rather high content of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic fatty acids, optimal n-6/n-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratios, low values of indexes of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity, and high values of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic and health-promoting indexes. The results of the present study support the importance of preserving this valuable cattle breed. Actions should be taken to increase their population while retaining their contemporary housing and feeding conditions.

Encapsulated Microstructures of Beneficial Functional Lipids and Their Applications in Foods and Biomedicines

Beneficial functional lipids are essential nutrients for the growth and development of humans and animals, which nevertheless possess poor chemical stability because of heat/light-sensitivity. Various encapsulation technologies have been developed to protect these nutrients against adverse factors. Different microstructures are exhibited through different encapsulation methods, which influence the encapsulation efficiency and release behavior at the same time. This review summarizes the effects of preparation methods and process parameters on the microstructures of capsules at first. The mechanisms of the different microstructures on encapsulation efficiency and controlled release behavior of core materials are analyzed. Next, a comprehensive overview on the beneficial functional lipids capsules in the latest food and biomedicine applications are provided as well as the matching relationship between the microstructures of the capsules and applications are discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and future possible directions that have potential interest are outlined. The purpose of this review is to convey the construction of beneficial functional lipids capsules and the function mechanism, a critical analysis on its current status and challenges, and opinions on its future development. This review is believed to promote communication among the food, pharmacy, agronomy, engineering, and nutrition industries.