The use of confocal Raman microscopy and microfluidic channels to monitor the location and mobility of ß-carotene incorporated in droplet-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions.

This study sought to explore the combined use of confocal Raman microscopy and microfluidic channels to probe the location and mobility of hydrophobic antioxidant (ß-carotene) incorporated at the interface of food-grade droplet-stabilized emulsions (DSEs). Microfluidic channels were used to isolate emulsion droplets for efficient investigation of antioxidant mobility. This approach proved more conclusive than fixing the sample in agarose, because a single layer of droplets could be obtained. Results also indicated that the migration of ß-carotene incorporated in shell droplets of olive oil and trimyristin DSEs to core droplets was minimal and beta-carotene remained mostly localised at the interface even after 3 days of production. This work demonstrates that microfluidic isolation of emulsion droplets combined with confocal Raman microscopy can give new insights into the spatial variation of chemical composition within emulsions. This study revealed that the migration of ß-carotene between shell and core was minimal and hence it may be possible to concurrently deliver two incompatible compounds by spatially segregating them between shell and core compartments of DSEs.

Droplet-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions Protect Unsaturated Lipids from Oxidation.

Droplet-stabilized emulsions use fine protein-coated lipid droplets (the shell) to emulsify larger droplets of a second lipid (the core). This study investigated the oxidation resistance of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) oil within droplet-stabilized emulsions, using shell lipids with a range of melting points: olive oil (low melting), trimyristin (high-melting), and palmolein oil (intermediate melting point). Oxidation of PUFA oil was accelerated with a fluorescent lamp in the presence of ferrous iron (100 µM) for 9 days, and PUFA oxidation was monitored via conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxides, and hexanal levels. Oxidation was slower in droplet-stabilized emulsions than in conventional emulsions or control emulsions of the same composition as droplet-stabilized emulsions but different structure, and trimyristin gave the greatest oxidation resistance. Results suggest the structured interface of droplet-stabilized emulsions limits contact between pro-oxidants and oxidation-sensitive bioactives encapsulated within, and this antioxidative effect is greatly enhanced with solid surface lipids.