Cannabidiol and Intestinal Motility: a Systematic Review.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis plant that is used for medicinal purposes. Ingestion of CBD is claimed to address several pathologies, including gastrointestinal disorders, although limited evidence has been generated thus far to substantiate many of its health claims. Nevertheless, CBD usage as an over-the-counter treatment for gastrointestinal disorders is likely to expand in response to increasing commercial availability, permissive legal status, and acceptance by consumers. This systematic review critically evaluates the knowledge boundaries of the published research on CBD, intestinal motility, and intestinal motility disorders. Research on CBD and intestinal motility is currently limited but does support the safety and efficacy of CBD for several therapeutic applications, including seizure disorders, inflammatory responses, and upper gastrointestinal dysfunction (i.e., nausea and vomiting). CBD, therefore, may have therapeutic potential for addressing functional gastrointestinal disorders. The results of this review show promising in vitro and preclinical data supporting a role of CBD in intestinal motility. This includes improved gastrointestinal-related outcomes in murine models of colitis. These studies, however, vary by dose, delivery method, and CBD-extract composition. Clinical trials have yet to find a conclusive benefit of CBD on intestinal motility disorders, but these trials have been limited in scope. In addition, critical factors such as CBD dosing parameters have not yet been established. Further research will establish the efficacy of CBD in applications to address intestinal motility.

Ability of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) Micelles to Increase the Antioxidant Activity of α-Tocopherol.

As emulsifiers become saturated on the surface of an emulsion droplet, any additional emulsifier migrates to the aqueous phase. Continuous phase surfactants have been shown to increase α-tocopherol efficacy, but it is unclear if this is the result of chemical or physical effects. The addition of α-tocopherol to an oil-in-water emulsion after homogenization resulted in a 70% increase of α-tocopherol in the continuous phase when sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was at levels that were greater than the SDS critical micelle concentration. Conversely, when α-tocopherol was dissolved in the lipid before emulsification, continuous phase SDS concentrations did not increase. When SDS concentration led to an increase in the aqueous phase α-tocopherol, the oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions increased. Data indicated that the increased antioxidant activity was the result of surfactant micelles being able to decrease the prooxidant activity of α-tocopherol. Considering these results, surfactant micelles could be an important tool to increase the effectiveness of α-tocopherol.

Impact of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Dilution and Antioxidant Addition on Lipid Oxidation Kinetics in Oil/Water Emulsions.

As consumers increasingly demand "cleaner" labels, one available strategy is diluting oils high in unsaturated fatty acids into more stable, more saturated oils, thus delaying lipid oxidation by decreasing free-radical propagation reactions between oxidized fatty acids and unsaturated lipids. The effect of diluting fish oil into medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) on oxidative stability was investigated using lipid hydroperoxides and gas chromatography headspace analysis. Dilutions up to 1 in 20 of fish oil in MCT extended propanal formation from 1 to 6 days in Tween-80-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. This protective effect was not observed in emulsions wherein the two oils were in separate droplets. Fish oil blended with high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) also demonstrated a protective effect when the oils were in the same emulsion droplets but not in separate emulsion droplets. The present study indicates that dilution can be used to increase the oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids in oil-in-water emulsions.

Headspace Characterization and Quantification of Aromatic Organosulfur Compounds in Garlic Extracts Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering with a Mirror-in-a-Cap Substrate.

BACKGROUND: Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been deployed in the analysis of food at solid and aqueous states. However, its capability has not been fully explored in headspace profiling. OBJECTIVE: To develop an innovative SERS method for analyzing headspace volatile compounds in foods. METHODS: A volatile-capture device was developed by depositing a film of silver nanoparticles in a vial cap to capture the volatiles released from a model flavor compound (garlic). RESULTS: SERS peaks at 1632, 1400, 1291, 1191, 731, and 577 cm-1 were identified in the headspace of the garlic sample, which was representative of an organosulfur compound (diallyl disulfide), and its concentration was determined at 135 ppm, which was comparable to the value determined using GC. Preparation and analysis could be carried out in <10 min for the SERS method. The sensitivity of the SERS method (10 ppm), however, was slightly less than that of the GC method (5 pm). CONCLUSIONS: The SERS method was able to quantify the concentration of diallyl disulfide in the headspace of a raw garlic ethanolic extract. Compared to GC, the SERS method had a much shorter analysis time and simpler sample preparation procedure than GC when analyzing large numbers of samples. HIGHLIGHTS: The innovative "mirror-in-a-cap" substrate was simpler and faster than other reported SERS substrates used for this purpose. Additionally, SERS has much better portability and the potential for real-time monitoring of changes in the garlic headspace concentration during manufacturing and processing.

Emulsions Stabilized by Inorganic Nanoclays and Surfactants: Stability, Viscosity, and Implications for Applications.

Pickering emulsions, or emulsions with solid particles at the interface, have attracted significant interest in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes, cosmetics, and drug delivery systems due to their ability to resist coalescence. Here, a synthetic clay nanoparticle, laponite®, is utilized to create oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions, and the addition of small-molecule surfactants induces a more stable emulsion. In this study, the stability of laponite® Pickering emulsions with and without the surfactants (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), Pluronic F68 (F68), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, optical microscopy, and rheology. With laponite® and no added surfactants, the DLS and ζ-potential results show formation of emulsion droplets with a diameter of 3 µm and a ζ-potential of -90 mV. With the addition of surfactants, both the droplet diameter and ζ-potential increase, suggesting adsorption of surfactants on the surface of laponite® particle. Optical microscopy suggests that the Pickering emulsion without surfactant undergoes flocculation, while the emulsion becomes stable to coalescence and creaming with addition of surfactants due to formation of a network structure. Regardless of the formation of network structure, the laponite®-F68 emulsion rheologically behaves as a Newtonian fluid, while the laponite®-SDS and laponite®-DTAB emulsions display shear thinning behavior. The difference in the rheological behavior can be attributed to the weak adsorption of F68 on laponite® and electrostatic interactions between laponite® and charged surfactants at oil-water interface.

Influence of Protein Type on the Antimicrobial Activity of LAE Alone or in Combination with Methylparaben.

The cationic surfactant Lauric arginate (LAE) has gained approval for utilization in meat products (limit: 200 mg/kg). However, as for other antimicrobials, its activity is reduced when applied to complex food matrices. The current study therefore aims to better understand protein-antimicrobial agent-interactions and their influence on the antimicrobial activity of (i) LAE and (ii) methylparaben against Listeria innocua and Pseudomonas fluorescens in defined model systems (pH 6). Antimicrobials were utilized alone or in combination with nutrient broth containing either no protein or 2% bovine serum albumin, whey protein isolate, or soy protein hydrolysate. LAE was found to form complexes with all proteins due to electrostatic attraction, determined using microelectrophoretic and turbidity measurements. Minimal lethal concentrations of LAE were remarkably increased (4-13 fold) in the presence of proteins, with globular proteins having the strongest impact. Combinations of LAE (0-200 µg/mL) with the less structure-sensitive component methylparaben (approved concentration 0.1%) remarkably decreased the concentrations of LAE needed to strongly inhibit or even kill both, L. innocua and P. fluorescens in the presence of proteins. The study highlights the importance of ingredient interactions impacting microbial activity that are often not taken into account when examining antimicrobial components having different structure sensitivities.

Application of flow cytometry as novel technology in studying lipid oxidation and mass transport phenomena in oil-in-water emulsions.

Flow cytometry was used to determine if lipid oxidation products could transfer between individual emulsion droplets. Medium chain triacyclglycerol oil-in-water emulsions containing an oxidizable fluorescent dye, BODIPY665/676, was blended with a soybean oil-in-water emulsion. Results showed that when the concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) were lower than critical micelle concentration (CMC), lipid oxidation products of triacylglycerols were not able to escape out until emulsions were extremely oxidized. With surfactant micelles, oxidation of BODIPY665/676 was observed. In the presence of free fatty acids, the transfer of prooxidants between droplets was observed even when surfactant concentration was lower than CMC. The decomposition product, 2,4,-decadienal, was also found to be transferred between droplets. The effect of surfactant concentration on prooxidant transfer was investigated using the lipid-soluble radical generator, AMVN. Results showed that surfactants promoted AMVN-triggered degradation of fluorescence at low concentrations but inhibited degradation at high concentration. The CMC of SDS was decreased by NaCl thus affecting the transfer phenomenon. With flow cytometry, the phenomenon of mass transfer between individual droplets was revealed which provides a better understanding of lipid oxidation in emulsion system.

Application of Flow Cytometry As Novel Technology in Studying the Effect of Droplet Size on Lipid Oxidation in Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Despite several published studies, the impact of emulsion droplet size on lipid oxidation rates is unclear. This could be because oil-in-water emulsions are typically polydisperse and the oxidation rate of individual droplets is difficult to discern. Flow cytometry is a technique for studying individual cells and their subpopulations using fluorescence technologies, which is possible to be used in studying individual emulsion droplets. Typical emulsion droplets are too small to be visualized by flow cytometer so emulsions were prepared to have droplets >2 µm that were stabilized by weighting agent and xanthan gum to minimize creaming during storage. A radical-sensitive fluorescence probe (BODIPY665/676) was added to the lipid used to prepare the emulsion so that the susceptibility of individual emulsion droplets could be determined. The results showed that in a polydisperse emulsion system, small droplets were oxidized faster than large droplets. A conventional method was also carried out by blending two emulsions with different droplet sizes and oil densities, and results were in agreement with the observation obtained from flow cytometry. As a new approach, flow cytometry could be utilized in emulsion studies to reveal insights of lipid oxidation mechanisms in individual droplets.

Impact of Phospholipids and Tocopherols on the Oxidative Stability of Soybean Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Phospholipids have been shown to act synergistically with tocopherols and delay lipid oxidation in bulk oil. The synergistic activity between phospholipids and tocopherols is due to the ability of amino-group-containing phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS)) to convert oxidized tocopherol back into tocopherols. This study shows the effect of PE and PS on the antioxidant activity of different tocopherol homologues in oil-in-water emulsions. Effect of emulsifier type on the interaction between tocopherols and phospholipids was also studied. δ-Tocopherol and PE exhibited greater antioxidant activity as compared to α-tocopherol and PE. PS displayed 1.5-3 times greater synergism than PE with Tween 20 as emulsifier whereas both PE and PS had a similar antioxidant activity in the presence of α-tocopherol when bovine serum albumin was used as the emulsifier. This study is the first to show that PE and PS can act synergistically with tocopherols to inhibit lipid oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions and can present a new clean label antioxidant strategy for food emulsions.

Effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on fat accumulation, activity, and proteomics analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been reported to reduce fat storage in cell culture and animal models. In the current study, the effects of CLA on the fat accumulation, activities, and proteomics were investigated using Caenorhabditis elegans. 100 µM CLA-TG nanoemulsion significantly reduced fat accumulation by 29% compared to linoleic acid (LA)-TG treatment via sir-2.1 (the ortholog of Sirtuin 1), without altering the worm size, growth rate, and pumping rate of C. elegans. CLA significantly increased moving speed and amplitude (the average centroid displacement over the entire track) of wild type worms compared to the LA group and these effects were dependent on aak-2 (AMPKα ortholog) and sir-2.1. Proteomics analysis showed CLA treatment influences various proteins associated in reproduction and development, translation, metabolic processes, and catabolism and proteolysis, in C. elegans. We have also confirmed the proteomics data that CLA reduced the fat accumulation via abs-1 (ATP Synthase B homolog). However, there were no significant effects of CLA on brood size, progeny numbers, and hatchability compared to LA treatment.

Extending viability of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus johnsonii by microencapsulation in alginate microgels.

AIM: To investigate whether microencapsulation of Lactobacillus in alginate microbeads will lead to increased longevity during refrigerated storage or simulated digestion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microscopy was used to confirm that Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC BAA-793 and Lactobacillus johnsonii ATCC 33200 were immobilised within the microbeads and laser scattering analysis was used to determine the mean diameter of the microbeads. The number of viable cells were enumerated throughout refrigerated storage and simulated digestion experiments. RESULTS: Microencapsulation was shown to have differing effects on viability depending on the species, but led to extended viability during refrigerated storage and simulated digestion in L. johnsonii and L. plantarum respectively. CONCLUSION: Fermented functional foods contain microbes beneficial to human health. However, extended shelf storage and the harsh environment of the GI tract significantly reduces the number of viable microbes reaching the consumer. Microencapsulation allows beneficial microbes to reach the gut of the consumer in higher numbers, and thus confer greater health benefits.

Edible Nanoemulsions as Carriers of Active Ingredients: A Review.

There has been growing interest in the use of edible nanoemulsions as delivery systems for lipophilic active substances, such as oil-soluble vitamins, antimicrobials, flavors, and nutraceuticals, because of their unique physicochemical properties. Oil-in-water nanoemulsions consist of oil droplets with diameters typically between approximately 30 and 200 nm that are dispersed within an aqueous medium. The small droplet size usually leads to an improvement in stability, gravitational separation, and aggregation. Moreover, the high droplet surface area associated with the small droplet size often leads to a high reactivity with biological cells and macromolecules. As a result, lipid digestibility and bioactive bioavailability are usually higher in nanoemulsions than conventional emulsions, which is an advantage for the development of bioactive delivery systems. In this review, the most important factors affecting nanoemulsion formation and stability are highlighted, and a critical analysis of the potential benefits of using nanoemulsions in food systems is presented.

Riboflavin-induced oxidation in fish oil-in-water emulsions: Impact of particle size and optical transparency.

The influence of particle size and optical properties on the stability of fish oil-in-water emulsions to riboflavin-induced oxidation by blending different combinations of small (d=44nm) and large (d=216nm) lipid droplets was examined. Emulsion turbidity increased with increasing mean droplet diameter due to greater light scattering by larger particles. The influence of droplet size on the stability of the emulsions to riboflavin-induced lipid oxidation during storage at 20 or 37°C was measured. At 37°C, the rate of lipid hydroperoxide formation increased with decreasing droplet diameter, but there were no significant differences in propanal concentrations. At 20°C, both peroxide and propanal values indicated that the rate of oxidation increased with decreasing droplet size. These data show that riboflavin was more effective at promoting oxidation in nanoemulsions containing small droplets because light was able to penetrate more easily and generate reactive oxygen species.

Delivery of dietary triglycerides to Caenorhabditis elegans using lipid nanoparticles: Nanoemulsion-based delivery systems.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful tool for studying food bioactives on specific biochemical pathways. However, many food bioactives are highly hydrophobic with extremely low water-solubilities, thereby making them difficult to study using C. elegans. The purpose of this study was to develop nanoemulsion-based systems to deliver hydrophobic molecules in a form that could be ingested by C. elegans. Optical microscopy showed that oil-in-water nanoemulsions with a range of particle diameters (40-500nm) could be ingested by C. elegans. The amount of lipid ingested depended on the size and concentration of the nanoparticles. Fatty acid analysis showed incorporation of conjugated linoleic acid and there was a significant reduction in the fat levels of C. elegans when they were incubated with nanoemulsions containing conjugated linoleic acid, which suggested that this hydrophobic lipid was successfully delivered to the nematodes. The incorporation of hydrophobic molecules into nanoemulsion based-delivery systems may therefore enable their activities to be studied using C. elegans.

Influence of iron solubility and charged surface-active compounds on lipid oxidation in fatty acid ethyl esters containing association colloids.

The impact of iron compounds with different solubilities on lipid oxidation was studied in the presence and absence of association colloids. Iron (III) sulfate only accelerated lipid oxidation in the presence of association colloids while iron (III) oleate accelerated oxidation in the presence and absence of association colloids. Further, iron (III) oxide retarded lipid oxidation both with and without association colloids. The impact of charged association colloids on lipid oxidation in ethyl oleate was also investigated. Association colloids consisting of the anionic surface-active compound dodecyl sulphosuccinate sodium salt (AOT), cationic surface-active compound hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and nonionic surface-active compound 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl-polyethylene glycol (Triton X-100) retarded, promoted, and had no effect on lipid oxidation rates, respectively. These results indicate that the polarity of metal compounds and the charge of association colloids play a big role in lipid oxidation.

Biopolymer-Based Delivery Systems: Challenges and Opportunities.

Biopolymer-based nanostructures or microstructures can be fabricated with different compositions, structures, and properties so that colloidal delivery systems can be tailored for specific applications. These structures can be assembled using various approaches, including electrospinning, coacervation, nanoprecipitation, injection, layer-by-layer deposition, and/or gelation. A major application of biopolymer-based particles is to encapsulate, protect, and release active molecules in the agricultural, food, supplements, personal care, and pharmaceutical sectors. The inherent variability and complexity of biopolymers (proteins and polysaccharides) often makes it challenging to produce particles with well-defined physicochemical and functional attributes. In this review, we discuss the properties of biopolymers, common particle fabrication methods, and some of the major challenges and opportunities associated with developing biopolymer-based particles for application as food-grade delivery systems.

Effects of salts on oxidative stability of lipids in Tween-20 stabilized oil-in-water emulsions.

Lipid oxidation in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions is an important factor determining the shelf life of food products. Salts are often present in many types of emulsion based food products. However, there is limited information on influence of salts on lipid oxidation in O/W emulsions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sodium and potassium chloride on lipid oxidation in O/W emulsions. Tween 20 stabilized corn O/W emulsions at pH 7.0 were prepared with different concentrations of sodium chloride with or without the metal chelators. NaCl did not cause any changes in emulsion droplet size. NaCl dose-dependently promoted lipid oxidation as measured by the lipid oxidation product, hexanal. Both deferoxamine (DFO) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) reduced lipid oxidation in emulsions with NaCl, with EDTA being more effective. Potassium chloride showed similar impact on lipid oxidation as sodium chloride. These results suggest that salts are able to promote lipid oxidation in emulsions and this effect can be controlled by metal chelators.

Physical Stability, Autoxidation, and Photosensitized Oxidation of ω-3 Oils in Nanoemulsions Prepared with Natural and Synthetic Surfactants.

The food industry is interested in the utilization of nanoemulsions stabilized by natural emulsifiers, but little research has been conducted to determine the oxidative stability of such emulsions. In this study, two natural (lecithin and quillaja saponin) and two synthetic (Tween 80 and sodium dodecyl sulfate) surfactants were used to fabricate omega-3 nanoemulsion using high pressure homogenization (microfluidization). Initially, all the nanoemulsions contained small (d from 45 to 89 nm) and anionic (ζ-potential from -8 to -65 mV) lipid droplets (pH 7). The effect of pH, ionic strength, and temperature on the physical stability of the nanoemulsion system was examined. Nanoemulsion stabilized with Tween 80, quillaja saponin, or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) exhibited no major changes in particle size or visible creaming in the pH range of 3 to 8. All nanoemulsions were relatively stable to salt addition (0 to 500 mM NaCl, pH 7.0). Nanoemulsions stabilized with SDS and quillaja saponin were stable to heating (30 to 90 °C). The impact of surfactant type on lipid oxidation was determined in the presence and absence of the singlet oxygen photosensitizers, riboflavin, and rose bengal. Riboflavin and rose bengal accelerated lipid oxidation when compare to samples without photosensitizers. Lipid hydroperoxide formation followed the order Tween 80 > SDS > lecithin > quillaja saponin, and propanal formation followed the order lecithin > Tween 80 > SDS > quillaja saponin at 37 °C for autoxidation. The same order of oxidative stability was observed in the presence of photosensitized oxidation promoted by riboflavin. Quillaja saponin consistently produced the most oxidatively stable emulsions, which could be due to its high free radical scavenging capacity.

Oxidative stability of n-3 fatty acids encapsulated in filled hydrogel particles and of pork meat systems containing them.

The effect of storage time (2°C, 19 days) and heating (70°C, 30 min) on physical characteristics and oxidative stability of fish oil encapsulated in filled hydrogel particles was determined and compared with a conventional oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with the same oil content (8.5%). Subsequently they were used to enrich meat systems with n-3 LCPUFAs, and their lipid oxidation was evaluated and compared with two other meat systems: one containing all animal fat and another with fish oil added directly. Filled hydrogel particles were more effective in lowering the oxidation rate than O/W emulsion, even when thermal treatment was applied. Oxidative stability over the storage time was best in the n-3 LCPUFA-enriched meat system containing filled hydrogel particles, in which TBARS levels were up to 62% lower than other systems containing fish oil. Hydrogel particles offer a promising means of controlling lipid oxidation in n-3 LCPUFA-enriched meat products.

Impact of phosphatidylethanolamine on the antioxidant activity of α-tocopherol and trolox in bulk oil.

The amphiphilic phospholipids dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), can form reverse micelles in bulk oils, which affects lipid oxidation chemistry. Previous studies showed that reverse micelles formed by DOPC and DOPE shorten the oxidation lag phase of stripped soybean oil. This study examined how these reverse micelles influence the activity of primary antioxidants such as the nonpolar α-tocopherol and the polar trolox in stripped and commercial soybean oils. The results showed that DOPC reverse micelles decreased the activity of 100 µM α-tocopherol or trolox. On the other hand, DOPE increased the antioxidant activity of both α-tocopherol and trolox. The polar trolox exhibited better antioxidant activity than the nonpolar α-tocopherol in the presence of both DOPC and DOPE reverse micelles because trolox partitioned more at the interfaces, which was confirmed by a fluorescence steady state study. Different ratios of DOPE to DOPC were added to oil containing 100 µM α-tocopherol, and antioxidant activity increased with increasing DOPE/DOPC ratio. Addition of DOPE to commercial oil inhibited lipid oxidation, whetrsd DOPC was ineffective. HPLC showed that DOPE regenerated α-tocopherol. This study indicates that the antioxidant activity of tocopherols could be improved by utilizing phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to engineer the properties of reverse micelles in bulk oil.