Performance of ß-carotene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers under dynamic in vitro digestion system: Influence of the emulsifier type.

A better understanding of how emulsifier type could differently influence the behavior of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) under the gastrointestinal digestion process, as well as at the cellular level, is of utmost importance for the NLC-based formulations' optimization and risk assessment in the food field. In this study, NLC composed by fully hydrogenated soybean and high-oleic sunflower oils were prepared using soy lecithin (NLC Lß) or Tween 80 (NLC Tß) as an emulsifier. ß-Carotene was entrapped within NLC developed as a promising strategy to overcome ß-carotene's low bioavailability and stability. The effect of emulsifier type on the digestibility of ß-carotene-loaded NLC was evaluated using an in vitro dynamic digestion model mimicking peristalsis motion. The influence of ß-carotene-loaded NLC on cell viability was assessed using Caco-2 cells in vitro. NLC Tß remained stable in the gastric compartment, presenting particle size (PS) similar to the initial NLC (PS: 245.68 and 218.18 nm, respectively), while NLC Lß showed lower stability (PS > 1000 nm) in stomach and duodenum phases. NLC Tß also provided high ß-carotene protection and delivery capacity (i.e., ß-carotene bioaccessibility increased 10-fold). Based on the results of digestion studies, NLC Tß has shown better physical stability during the passage through the in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal system than NLC Lß. Moreover, the developed NLC did not compromise cell viability up to 25 µg/mL of ß-carotene. Thus, the NLC developed proved to be a biocompatible structure and able to incorporate and protect ß-carotene for further food applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study hold significant implications for industrial applications in terms of developing nanostructured lipid carriers from natural raw materials widely available and used to produce other lipid-based products in the food industry, as an alternative to synthetic ones. In this respect, the ß-carotene-loaded NLC developed in this study would find a great industrial application in the food industry, which is in constant search to develop functional foods capable of increasing the bioavailability of bioactive compounds.

Unveiling the formation capacity of multicomponent oleogels: Performance of lecithin interacting with monostearate derivatives.

Oleogels have been explored as fat substitutes due to their healthier composition compared to trans and saturated fats, also presenting interesting technological perspectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the compositional perspective of multicomponent oleogels. Structuring ability of lecithin (LEC) (20 or 90 wt% of phosphatidylcholine - PC) combined with glycerol monostearate (GMS), sorbitan monostearate (SMS) or sucrose monostearate (SAC) in sunflower oil was evaluated from oleogels properties. The thermal and rheological properties, microstructure and stability of the oleogels were affected by the difference in the chemical composition of LEC and the ratio between LEC and different surfactants. Interestingly, low-phosphatidylcholine LEC (L20) performed better, although systems formed with reduced amounts of LEC tended to be softer (LEC-GMS) and present high oil holding capacity (LEC-SMS). The mixtures of LEC and monostearate-based surfactants showed different behaviors, depending on the surfactant polar head. In LEC-GMS systems, LEC hindered the self-assembly of GMS in sunflower oil, compromising mechanical properties and increasing oil release. When combined with SMS, LEC acted as a crystal habit modifier of SMS, forming a more homogeneous microstructure and producing stronger oleogels with greater oil binding capacity. However, above the threshold concentration, LEC prevented SMS self-assembly, resulting in a weaker gel. A positive interaction was found in LEC-SAC formulations in specific ratios, since SAC cannot act as a single oleogelator. Results show the impact of solubility balance played by LEC and fatty-acid derivatives surfactant when combined and used as oleogelators. This knowledge can contribute to a rational perspective in the preparation and modulation of the properties of edible oleogels.

An Edible Oil Enriched with Lycopene from Pink Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Using Different Mechanical Treatments.

According to the regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), organic solvents should be limited in pharmaceutical and food products due to their inherent toxicity. For this reason, this short paper proposes different mechanical treatments to extract lycopene without organic solvents to produce an edible sunflower oil (SFO) enriched with lycopene from fresh pink guavas (Psidium guajava L.) (FPGs). The methodology involves the use of SFO and a combination of mechanical treatments: a waring blender (WB), WB+ high-shear mixing (HSM) and WB+ ultrafine friction grinding (UFFG). The solid:solvent (FPG:SFO) ratios used in all the techniques were 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20. The results from optical microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy showed a correlation between the concentration of lycopene in SFO, vegetable tissue diameters and FPG:SFO ratio. The highest lycopene concentration, 18.215 ± 1.834 mg/g FPG, was achieved in WB + UFFG with an FPG:SFO ratio of 1:20. The yield of this treatment was 66% in comparison to the conventional extraction method. The maximal lycopene concentration achieved in this work was significantly higher than the values reported by other authors, using high-pressure homogenization for tomato peel and several solvents such as water, SFO, ethyl lactate and acetone.

Immobilization of Eversa Lipases on Hydrophobic Supports for Ethanolysis of Sunflower Oil Solvent-Free.

Lipases are an important group of biocatalysts for many industrial applications. Two new commercial low-cost lipases Eversa® Transform and Eversa® Transform 2.0 was immobilized on four different hydrophobic supports: Lewatit-DVB, Purolite-DVB, Sepabeads-C18, and Purolite-C18. The performance of immobilized lipases was investigated in the transesterification of sunflower oil solvent-free in an anhydrous medium. Interesting results were obtained for both lipases and the four supports, but with Sepabeads support the lipases Eversa showed high catalytic activity. However, the more stable and efficient derivative was Eversa® Transform immobilized on Sepabeads C-18. A 98 wt% of ethyl ester of fatty acid (FAEE) was obtained, in 3 h at 40ºC, ethanol/sunflower oil molar ratio of 3:1 and a 10 wt% of the immobilized biocatalyst. After 6 reaction cycles, the immobilized biocatalyst preserved 70 wt% of activity. Both lipases immobilized in Sepabeads C-18 were highly active and stable in the presence of ethanol. The immobilization of Eversa Transform and Eversa Transform 2.0 in hydrophobic supports described in this study appears to be a promising alternative to the immobilization and application of these news lipases still unexplored.

Glyceryl monostearate-based oleogels as a new fat substitute in meat emulsion.

Bologna sausages were produced with 25, 50, 75 and 100% of their pork fat content replaced by monoglyceride based-oleogels prepared from conventional or high oleic sunflower oils. Physicochemical, technological, and sensory properties of Bologna sausages were evaluated. Emulsion stability was little affected by fat replacement. All treatments batters exhibited characteristic rheological properties of gels (G' > G″). Overall, the addition of oleogel as a fat substitute made the sausages lighter and a small increase in hardness was observed in the sausages with total fat replacement by oleogels. The sliceability was affected by the reformulation and a higher number of slices were obtained in samples with oleogels in relation to the control. These results were associated to the product structure that became more compact as the amount of pork fat was reduced. However, all samples showed good acceptance by the consumers and no significant difference was observed between treatments. The results showed that monostearate-based oleogel can be a potential fat replacer with higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids to be used in meat products, but retaining the desired characteristics of the traditional products.

Sunflower wax recovered from oil tank settlings: Revaluation of a waste product from the oilseed industry.

BACKGROUND: The sunflower oil industry produces a large amount of waste that is not currently commercially exploited, as in the case of oil-tank settlings. The recovery of a high value-added by-product, such as sunflower wax, would increase the commercial value of this waste. In this original research paper, a method that allows the recovery and purification of this by-product was developed. The wax was characterized and its potential use as an organogelator agent was investigated. RESULTS: The waste sample was composed of 45.1% oily material, 16.9% of this being impure waxes. Purification was performed through two different methods, obtaining three waxes with different degrees of purity. All the waxes were composed of wax esters with a range of 40-60 carbon atoms, exhibiting traces of carotenes, free fatty acids, and free fatty alcohols. The presence of phospholipids was observed in two of them. The third wax presented a higher total wax ester content and physicochemical characteristics (color and thermal behavior) similar to those of commercial sunflower waxes, and was the most efficient organogelator agent, requiring only a small amount of wax (1.5%) to structure high oleic sunflower oil. CONCLUSION: It was verified that sunflower wax could be recovered from oil-tank settlings. A purification method that allowed sunflower wax with similar physicochemical properties to those of commercial waxes to be obtained was also developed. The purified waxes were capable of structuring high oleic sunflower oil. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physical Properties of Monoglycerides Oleogels Modified by Concentration, Cooling Rate, and High-Intensity Ultrasound.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of monoglycerides (MG) concentration (3, 4.5, and 6 wt%), cooling rate (0.1 and 10 °C/min), and high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) application on physical properties of oleogels from MG and high oleic sunflower oil. Microstructure, melting profile, elasticity (G'), and solid fat content (SFC) were measured immediately after preparation of samples (t = 0) and after 24 hr of storage at 25 °C. Samples' textural properties (hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness) and oil binding capacity (OBC) were evaluated after 24 hr at 25 °C. In general, samples became less elastic over time. Slow cooling rate resulted in lower G' after 24 hr compared to the ones obtained using 10 °C/min. Network OBC was improved by increasing MG concentration and cooling rate, and by applying HIU. After storage, oleogel melting enthalpy increased with MG concentration. In general, this behavior was not correlated with an increase in SFC. An improvement in the network structure was generally reached with the increase in cooling rate, according to texture and rheology results, for both sonicated and nonsonicated conditions. At the highest MG concentration, HIU application was more efficient at increasing OBC and hardness of the network at 0.1 °C/min. Microscopy images showed that the oleogels microstructure was changed as a consequence of HIU application and cooling rate, evidencing smaller crystals both in sonicated and faster cooled samples. Obtained results demonstrate that cooling rate, MG concentration, and HIU can be used satisfactorily to tailor physical properties of MG oleogels. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Oleogels have been studied in the last years as semisolid fat replacers in food products. Cooling rate is an important processing parameter in the oleogel preparation because it affects their final physical properties, while high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) is a relatively novel technique to tailor lipid properties. This study is focused on the application of a slow/fast cooling rate in combination with/without HIU treatment at different monoglycerides and high oleic sunflower oil mixtures as a successful strategy to obtain oleogels with different physical properties and with potential applications in the food industry, such as fat substitutes in bakery.

The Fatty Acid Composition of Vegetable Oils and Their Potential Use in Wound Care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the similarities among fatty acid compositions of vegetable oils sold in the Brazilian market and those present in a reference health product used to treat wounds. METHODS: The relative amounts of fatty acids in 21 types of vegetable oils, purchased in the Brazilian market, were assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and flame ionization detection. MAIN RESULTS: The studied oils had similar fatty acid compositions to the reference product (caprylic acid, 18.8%; capric acid, 17.4%; oleic acid, 27.5%; and linoleic acid, 28.1%). The presence of caprylic acid (10.45% ± 0.07%), capric acid (5.8% ± 0.75%), lauric acid (45.63% ± 0.93%), and myristic acid (16.33% ± 2.23%) were detected in all the vegetable oils tested. Oleic acid (52.94% ± 12.54%) was present in andiroba, avocado, canola, copaiba, olive, palm, pequi, and pracaxi oils and featured prominently in olive oil (75.8%). Linoleic acid (57.09% ± 8.47%) was present in corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, passion fruit, and sunflower oils and in mixed oils (olive with soybean and sunflower with corn and canola). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the vegetable oils tested are products of plants from tropical climates, where they are abundant and easy to cultivate. It is possible that a balanced composition of fatty acids obtained from natural sources could be an effective alternative treatment for wounds.

Biocatalyst engineering of Thermomyces Lanuginosus lipase adsorbed on hydrophobic supports: Modulation of enzyme properties for ethanolysis of oil in solvent-free systems.

Different immobilized biocatalysts of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) exhibited different properties for the ethanolysis of high oleic sunflower oil in solvent-free systems. TLL immobilized by interfacial adsorption on octadecyl (C-18) supports lost its 1,3-regioselectivity and produced more than 99% of ethyl esters. This reaction was influenced by mass-transfer limitations. TLL adsorbed on macroporous C-18 supports (616 Å of pore diameter) was 10-fold more active than TLL adsorbed on mesoporous supports (100-200 Å of pore diameter) in solvent-free systems. Both derivatives exhibited similar activity when working in hexane in the absence of diffusional limitations. In addition, TLL adsorbed on macroporous Purolite C-18 was 5-fold more stable than TLL adsorbed on mesoporous Sepabeads C-18. The stability of the best biocatalyst was 20-fold lower in anhydrous oil than in anhydrous hexane. Mild PEGylation of immobilized TLL greatly increased its stability in anhydrous hexane at 40 °C, fully preserving the activity after 20 days. In anhydrous oil at 40 °C, PEGylated TLL-Purolite C-18 retained 65% of its initial activity after six days compared to 10% of the activity retained by the unmodified biocatalyst. Macroporous and highly hydrophobic supports (e.g., Purolite C-18) seem to be very useful to prepare optimal immobilized biocatalysts for ethanolysis of oils by TLL in solvent-free systems.

Lipase Immobilization on Silica Xerogel Treated with Protic Ionic Liquid and its Application in Biodiesel Production from Different Oils.

Treated silica xerogel with protic ionic liquid (PIL) and bifunctional agents (glutaraldehyde and epichlorohydrin) is a novel support strategy used in the effective immobilization of lipase from Burkholderia cepacia (LBC) by covalent binding. As biocatalysts with the highest activity recovery yields, LBC immobilized by covalent binding with epichlorohydrin without (203%) and with PIL (250%), was assessed by the following the hydrolysis reaction of olive oil and characterized biochemically (Michaelis⁻Menten constant, optimum pH and temperature, and operational stability). Further, the potential transesterification activity for three substrates: sunflower, soybean, and colza oils, was also determined, achieving a conversion of ethyl esters between 70 and 98%. The supports and the immobilized lipase systems were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis.

Food grade microemulsion systems: Sunflower oil/castor oil derivative-ethanol/water. Rheological and physicochemical analysis.

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems that have attracted considerable attention in the food industry as delivery systems for many hydrophobic nutrients. These spontaneous systems are highly dependent on ingredients and composition. In this work phase diagrams were constructed using two surfactants (Kolliphor RH40 and ELP), water, sunflower oil, and ethanol as cosurfactant, evaluating their physicochemical properties. Stability of the systems was studied at 25 and 60 °C, monitoring turbidity at 550 nm for over a month to identify the microemulsion region. Conductivity was measured to classify between water-in-oil and oil-in-water microemulsions. The phase diagram constructed with Kolliphor RH40 exhibited a larger microemulsion area than that formulated with Kolliphor ELP. All formulations showed a monomodal droplet size distribution with low polydispersity index (<0.30) and a mean droplet size below 20 nm. Systems with higher water content presented a Newtonian behavior; increasing the dispersed phase content produced a weak gel-like structure with pseudoplastic behavior under flow conditions that was satisfactorily modeled to obtain structural parameters.

Synergistic interactions between lecithin and fruit wax in oleogel formation.

In this study, the effect of lecithin (LEC) on the crystallization and gelation of fruit wax (FW) with sunflower oil was researched. A synergistic effect on the gel strength was observed at FW : LEC ratios of 75 : 25 and 50 : 50, compared to the corresponding single component formulations (100 : 0 and 0 : 100). Even below the critical gelling concentration (Cg) of FW, the addition of lecithin enabled gel formation. Lecithin affected the thermal behavior of the structure by delaying both crystallization and gel formation. The phospholipid acted as a crystal habit modifier changing the microstructure of the oleogel, as was observed by polarized light microscopy. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy revealed a similar platelet-like arrangement for both FW as a single oleogelator and FW in combination with LEC. However, a denser structure could be observed in the FW : LEC oleogelator mixture. Both the oil-binding capacity and the thixotropic recovery were enhanced upon lecithin addition. These improvements were attributed to the hydrogen bonding between FW and LEC, as suggested by Raman spectroscopy. We hypothesized that lecithin alters the molecular assembly properties of the FW due to the interactions between the polar moieties of the oleogelators, which consequently impacts the hydrophobic tail (re)arrangement in gelator-gelator and solvent-gelator interactions. The lipid crystal engineering approach followed here offered prospects of obtaining harder self-standing structures at a lower oleogelator concentration. These synergistic interactions provide an opportunity to reduce the wax concentration and, as such, the waxy mouthfeel without compromising the oleogel properties.

Energy balance in grazing Jersey cows in early lactation supplemented with peanut and sunflower oils.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of supplementation with peanut and sunflower oils on intake and digestibility, milk yield and composition, energy balance (EB), changes in weight and body condition score (BW and BCS), and blood metabolites of Jersey cows on pasture in early lactation. Twenty-four cows were distributed in a randomized block design where they received the following treatments: concentrate without oil (CON), concentrate plus 59.6 g/kg DM peanut oil (PEA), concentrate plus 59.6 g/kg DM sunflower oil (SUN), and concentrate plus 59.6 g/kg DM of a 1:1 mixture of peanut oil and sunflower oil (MIX). The data were analyzed at 30 and 60 days in milk (DIM). Oil supplementation did not affect total dry matter intake or forage intake. The treatment SUN reduced daily milk yield, 4% fat-corrected milk yield, and milk fat, while the other treatments generated similar results. The treatment SUN reduced the milk net energy and the use efficiency of the NEL for milk production and BW and BCS changes, and improved EB up to 60 DIM. On tropical pastures, supplementation with unsaturated oils for cows in early lactation does not result in better milk performance. The supplementation with sunflower oil improves the energy balance in early lactation.

Production of FAME and FAEE via Alcoholysis of Sunflower Oil by Eversa Lipases Immobilized on Hydrophobic Supports.

The performance of two new commercial low-cost lipases Eversa® Transform and Eversa® Transform 2.0 immobilized in different supports was investigated. The two lipases were adsorbed on four different hydrophobic supports. Interesting results were obtained for both lipases and for the four supports. However, the most active derivative was prepared by immobilization of Eversa® Transform 2.0 on Sepabeads C-18. Ninety-nine percent of fatty acid ethyl ester was obtained, in 3 h at 40 °C, by using hexane as solvent, a molar ratio of 4:1 (ethanol/oil), and 10 wt% of immobilized biocatalyst. The final reaction mixture contained traces of monoacylglycerols but was completely free of diacylglycerols. After four reaction cycles, the immobilized biocatalyst preserved 75% of activity. Both lipases immobilized in Sepabeads C-18 were very active with ethanol and methanol as acceptors, but they were much more stable in the presence of ethanol.

Efectividad del Oleozón® en el tratamiento de pacientes con discromía dental / Effectiveness of Oleozon® in the treatment of patients with dental dischromya

Se realizó un estudio cuasiexperimental, de intervención terapéutica, para evaluar la efectividad del Oleozón® tópico y la luz halógena como fuente de luz azul y calor en el tratamiento de 52 pacientes con discromías dentales, atendidos en el Policlínico Docente Ramón López Peña del municipio de Santiago de Cuba, desde junio del 2015 hasta marzo del 2016. Se conformaron 2 grupos: de estudio (pares), a los cuales se les aplicó Oleozón® tópico; de control (impares), quienes recibieron tratamiento convencional con peróxido de hidrógeno. Al culminar las sesiones, ambos medicamentos resultaron efectivos en 100 por ciento de los afectados, aunque los del segundo grupo evolucionaron más rápidamente que los del primero. Se demostró que el Oleozón® tópico y la luz halógena son efectivos en el tratamiento de pacientes con discromías dentales y no provocan efectos adversos en los dientes tratados

A quasi-experiment, of therapeutic intervention study was carried out, to evaluate the effectiveness of the topic Oleozon® and the halogen light as source of blue light and heat in the treatment of 52 patients with dental dischromyas, assisted in Ramón López Peña Teaching Polyclinic in Santiago de Cuba from June, 2015 to March, 2016. Two groups were conformed: a study group (pairs), to whom topic Oleozon® was applied; a control group (odd numbers) who received conventional treatment with peroxide of hydrogen. When culminating the sessions, both medications were effective in 100 percent of the affected patients, although those of the second group evolved more quickly than those of the first one. It was demonstrated that topic Oleozon® and halogen light are effective in the treatment of patients with dental dischromyas and they cause no adverse effects in the treated teeth

Antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil fractions obtained by molecular distillation and their effect on oxidative stability of sunflower oil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil fractions obtained by molecular distillation (MD) and investigate their effect on the oxidative stability of sunflower oil. MD fractions were prepared in a series of low-pressure stages where rosemary essential oil was the first feed. Subsequently, a distillate (D1) and residue (R1) were obtained and the residue fraction from the previous stage used as the feed for the next. The residue fractions had the largest capacity to capture free radicals, and the lowest peroxide values, conjugated dienes and conjugated trienes. The antioxidant activity of the fractions was due to oxygenated monoterpenes, specifically α-terpineol and cis-sabinene hydrate. Oxidative stability results showed the residues (R1 and R4) and butylated hydroxytoluene had greater antioxidant activity than either the distillate fractions or original rosemary essential oil. The residue fractions obtained by short path MD of rosemary essential oil could be used as a natural antioxidants by the food industry.

Emulsions stabilized by high acyl gellan and KCl.

Emulsions containing high acyl gellan (0.025 or 0.100% w/w) as emulsifier/stabilizer with KCl addition (1.6-15,633mg of KCl/g of gellan) were evaluated. In general a decrease in apparent viscosity and an increase of the droplets size were observed as KCl content rises. Addition of intermediate KCl concentration (62.6-1,563mg of KCl/g of gellan) could improve the stability to macroscopic phase separation of emulsions with the lower gellan concentration (0.025% w/w). However it was observed that KCl content above a critical value (1,563mg of KCl/g of gellan) caused the breakup of the emulsions containing 0.025% or 0.10% w/w of gellan, showing that emulsions properties could be easily modulated by the salt-polysaccharide ratio, allowing the formation of emulsions for different purposes. High viscosity of the continuous medium and the repulsive forces of the charged droplets were the main emulsions stabilizing mechanisms. However the formation of a physical barrier on droplets interface by deposition of gellan aggregates could be occurring at particular conditions of KCl-gellan ratio.

Vegetable oils rich in alpha linolenic acid increment hepatic n-3 LCPUFA, modulating the fatty acid metabolism and antioxidant response in rats.

Alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3, ALA) is an essential fatty acid and the metabolic precursor of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from the n-3 family with relevant physiological and metabolic roles: eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3, DHA). Western diet lacks of suitable intake of n-3 LCPUFA and there are recommendations to increase the dietary supply of such nutrients. Seed oils rich in ALA such as those from rosa mosqueta (Rosa rubiginosa), sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubis) and chia (Salvia hispanica) may constitute an alternative that merits research. This study evaluated hepatic and epididymal accretion and biosynthesis of n-3 LCPUFA, the activity and expression of Δ-5 and Δ-6 desaturase enzymes, the expression and DNA-binding activity of PPAR-α and SREBP-1c, oxidative stress parameters and the activity of antioxidative enzymes in rats fed sunflower oil (SFO, 1% ALA) as control group, canola oil (CO, 10% ALA), rosa mosqueta oil (RMO, 33% ALA), sacha inchi oil (SIO, 49% ALA) and chia oil (ChO, 64% ALA) as single lipid source. A larger supply of ALA increased the accretion of n-3 LCPUFA, the activity and expression of desaturases, the antioxidative status, the expression and DNA-binding of PPAR-α, the oxidation of fatty acids and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, whereas the expression and DNA-binding activity of SREBP-1c transcription factor and the biosynthetic activity of fatty acids declined. Results showed that oils rich in ALA such as SIO and ChO may trigger metabolic responses in rats such as those produced by n-3 PUFA.