Effect of ultrasound-assisted pH-shifting treatment on the physicochemical properties of melon seed protein.

Melon seeds have received considerable attention in recent years because of their high protein content, but they have not yet been fully used. The modification of melon seed protein (MSP) using ultrasound-assisted pH-shifting treatment was investigated in this study by analyzing structural characteristics and functional properties. The particle size, free sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, solubility, secondary structure, water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, emulsification activity index, and emulsification stability index of MSP were determined. MSP treated with ultrasound-assisted, pH-shifting had a smaller particle size, lower free sulfhydryl content, higher surface hydrophobicity, and solubility increased from 43.67 % to 89.12 %. The secondary structure of MSP was affected by ultrasonic treatment, manifesting as an α-helix increase and ß-helix, ß-turn, and random coil content decrease, which may be the reason why the protein structure became more compact after treatment. The water and oil holding capacities of MSP increased from 2.74 g/g and 3.14 g/g in untreated samples to 3.19 g/g and 3.97 g/g for ultrasound-treated samples, and further increased to 3.97 g/g and 5.02 g/g for ultrasound-assisted, pH-shifting treatment at pH 9.0, respectively. The emulsification activity index of MSP was 21.11 m2/g before treatment and reached a maximum of 32.34 m2/g after ultrasound-assisted, pH-shifting treatment at pH 9.0. The emulsification stability of MSP was maximized by ultrasonic treatment at pH 7.0. Ultrasound-assisted, pH-shifting treatment can effectively improve the functional properties of MSP by modifying the protein structure, which improves the potential application of melon seed protein in the food industry.

Effects of Selenium Content on Growth, Antioxidant Activity, and Key Selenium-Enriched Gene Expression in Alfalfa Sprouts.

To enhance the selenium (Se) intake of the general public, the present study implemented biofortification techniques in alfalfa sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts possess unique nutritional value and provide an optimal Se-enriched supplemental Se source. The impact of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on alfalfa shoot germination, shoot length, and biomass was assessed experimentally, and changes in the antioxidant capacity of sprouts treated with optimal Se concentrations were investigated. In addition, the transcriptome of alfalfa sprouts treated with the optimal Na2SeO3 concentration was sequenced. Gene co-expression networks, constructed through differential gene analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis, were used to identify the core genes responsible for Se enrichment in alfalfa sprouts. The findings of the present study offer novel insights into the effects of Se treatment on the nutrient composition of alfalfa sprouts, in addition to introducing novel methods and references that could facilitate production of Se-enriched alfalfa sprouts and associated products.

Characterization and stability evaluation of Ca2+ cross-linked soybean protein isolate/chitosan/sodium alginate ternary complex coacervate phase.

To improve the stability of the soybean protein isolate/chitosan/sodium alginate ternary complex coacervate phase against environmental pH and ionic strength, the complex ternary phase cross-linked by Ca2+ was characterized and evaluated. The viscoelastic properties, thermal properties, microstructure, and texture profile were characterized using rheology, differentia scanning calorimetry as well as thermmogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy, and texture profile analysis, respectively. Compared with the uncross-linked ternary complex coacervate, the complex in situ cross-linked with 1.0 % Ca2+ for 1 h still retains its typical solid characteristics, and has a more compact network structure and better stability. Our research results also showed that prolonging the cross-linking time (from 3 h to 5 h) and increasing the concentration of the cross-linking agent (from 1.5 % to 2.0 %) did not further improve the rheological, thermodynamic and textural properties of the complex coacervate. The ternary complex coacervate phase cross-linked in situ under 1.5 % concentration of Ca2+ for 3 h showed significantly improved stability at low pH 1.5-3.0, which indicats that the ternary complex coacervate phase cross-linked in situ by Ca2+ can be used as a potential delivery platform for the effective delivery of biomolecules under physiological conditions.

Improvement of Oxidative Stability of Fish Oil-in-Water Emulsions through Partitioning of Sesamol at the Interface.

The susceptibility of polyunsaturated fatty acids to oxidation severely limits their application in functional emulsified foods. In this study, the effect of sesamol concentration on the physicochemical properties of WPI-stabilized fish oil emulsions was investigated, focusing on the relationship between sesamol-WPI interactions and interfacial behavior. The results relating to particle size, zeta-potential, microstructure, and appearance showed that 0.09% (w/v) sesamol promoted the formation of small oil droplets and inhibited oil droplet aggregation. Furthermore, the addition of sesamol significantly reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide, generation of secondary reaction products during storage, and degree of protein oxidation in the emulsions. Molecular docking and isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the interaction between sesamol and ß-LG was mainly mediated by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Our results show that sesamol binds to interfacial proteins mainly through hydrogen bonding, and increasing the interfacial sesamol content reduces the interfacial tension and improves the physical and oxidative stability of the emulsion.

Fabrication of soy protein isolate/κ-carrageenan hydrogels for release control of hydrophilic compounds: Flax lignans.

A suitable carrier for flax lignans using Soybean protein isolated (SPI) - κ-carrageenan (KC) hydrogels was developed. The effects of KC concentration on the stability of hydrogels were investigated, as well as water holding capacity (WHC), syneresis and morphological changes. A solid-like gel network and viscoelasticity of composite hydrogels were confirmed by rheological behavior test. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) displayed a dense and uniform structure for hydrogels with the optimum KC concentration (0.6 %). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) curves suggested lignan might interact with SPI and KC by hydrogen bonding or hydrophobic effects. The release of flax lignans in hydrogels was followed with Fick diffusion in simulated gastric fluids (SGF) and non-Fickian diffusion in simulated intestinal fluids (SIF), respectively. The cumulative release rate of flax lignan in complex gels (46.00 %) was lower than that of pure SPI hydrogels (77.43 %) at the end of digestion. The results indicated that KC protected the protein by hindering the accession of digestive enzymes into the hydrogels, thus resulting in a reduction of gel matrix erosion and lignan release during digestion. These findings shield a light on SPI-KC hydrogels as carriers for water-soluble bioactive compounds in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Clinical efficacy of norepinephrine combined with cimetidine in treatment of neonatal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and its adverse reactions.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy of norepinephrine combined with cimetidine in the treatment of neonatal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and its adverse reactions. Methods: A total of 68 cases of neonatal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in Huangshi Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from please mention dates October 2018 to February 2020 were selected and randomly divided into treatment group and control group by coin tossing, with 34 infants in each group. The control group received conventional therapy, and the treatment group was additionally treated with norepinephrine combined with cimetidine. The efficacy and safety were compared between the two groups. Results: The time when the bleeding stops, the time of fecal occult blood turning negative and hospital stay of the treatment group were shorter than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) level increased while malondialdehyde (MDA) level decreased in both groups after treatment compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, the SOD level was higher while the MDA level was lower in the treatment group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The effective rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). However, no significance was found in adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Norepinephrine combined with cimetidine in the treatment of neonatal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage can shorten the recovery time of symptoms, improve efficacy and reduce stress reaction. It is safe, effective and worthy of use in clinical practice.

Comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling reveals the differences between alfalfa sprouts germinated with or without light exposure.

Alfalfa sprouts are among the most nutritionally rich foods, and light exposure is a critical factor in determining their biomass and quality. However, detailed metabolic and molecular differences between yellow and green alfalfa sprouts remain unclear. In this study, comprehensive metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were integrated to evaluate the nutrient composition of alfalfa sprouts during germination with or without light exposure. Differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated metabolites in green and yellow alfalfa sprouts were significantly enriched in secondary metabolic pathways, such as the isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Green alfalfa sprouts contained a wide variety of lipids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids, among which the top three upregulated were calycosin, methyl gallate, and epicatechin 3-gallate, whereas yellow alfalfa sprouts contained relatively more isoquercitrin. These results provide new insights into the nutritional value and composition of alfalfa sprouts under different germination regimes.

Astaxanthin-loaded emulsion gels stabilized by Maillard reaction products of whey protein and flaxseed gum: Physicochemical characterization and in vitro digestibility.

In order to evaluate the effect of ultrasound and Maillard reaction on the physicochemical properties and gastrointestinal fate of astaxanthin-loaded emulsion gels, the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) of whey protein and flaxseed gum (FG) were prepared by traditional or ultrasonic assisted wet-heating. The MRPs obtained by ultrasonic assisted wet-heating had higher grafting degree and more expanded structures evidenced by the browning intensity, fluorescence intensity and circular dichroism (CD) analysis, thus enhancing its functional properties like solubility and emulsifying capacity. The MRPs improved the water holding capacity, encapsulation efficiency, stability of emulsion gels, in which astaxanthin was wrapped as a model bioactive compound. During the simulated digestion process, the bioaccessibility of loaded astaxanthin reached 72.08% for the emulsion gels stabilized by MRPs. The results highlighted the potential of MRPs in improving functionality of protein and as a delivery carrier of bioactive compounds in food industry.

Characterization of complexes formed between debranched starch and fatty acids having different carbon chain lengths.

Recently, amylose-lipid complexes have attracted widespread attention because of their various applications. However, DBS complexed with fatty acids of different carbon chain length are rarely studied. This study aimed to probe the complexation of DBS with saturated fatty acids having different carbon chain lengths (C6-C18). The results revealed that DBS was able to form V-type complexes with all the fatty acids considered. Compared to DBS, the relative crystallinity of the complexes increased 2-3 times. DBS with lauric acid and myristic acid formed three types V-type complexes (type I, type IIa, and type IIb). The complexing index followed the order of hexanoic acid > octanoic acid > capric acid > lauric acid > myristic acid > palmitic acid > stearic acid. Furthermore, lauric acid and myristic acid formed complexes with DBS more easily compared with other fatty acids.

Study on the antioxidant activity and emulsifying properties of flaxseed gum-whey protein isolate conjugates prepared by Maillard reaction.

The antioxidant and emulsifying properties of flaxseed gum-whey protein isolate (FSG-WPI) conjugates prepared by Maillard reaction via controlled dry-heating were investigated. The reaction was carried out using a ratio of FSG to WPI of 1:3 at 60 °C and 79% relative humidity for different incubation times. The reaction was confirmed by analysis of the browning index, free amino content and soluble sulfhydryl content, as well as by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We found that nearly 35% of the protein participated in conjugation with FSG after 48 h of incubation. The antioxidant activity of the conjugates improved markedly after 48 and 72 h incubation time. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that the denaturation temperature of the conjugates increased. The FSG-WPI conjugate prepared by 72 h incubation had the best emulsifying properties in stabilizing an oil-in-water emulsion. This research provides significant knowledge for the potential applications of FSG in food industry.

Flaxseed Oil Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance in Mice by Rescuing the Adaption to ER Stress.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated the benefits of α-linolenic acid-rich flaxseed oil (ALA-FO) against lipid metabolism abnormality in both rodent models and humans. However, the metabolic response of FO to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes is still inconsistent. This study aimed to explore the effect of FO on chronic high fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation, mainly focusing on hepatic n-3 fatty acid remodeling and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unfolded protein response. The results showed that lard-based HFD feeding for 16 weeks (60% fat-derived calories) induced whole-body insulin resistance, lipid profile abnormality, and inflammation in mice, which was alleviated by FO in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, FO effectively improved hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in mice by modulating the specific location of ALA and its long-chain n-3 fatty acids across hepatic lipid fractions and enhancing insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of hepatic insulin receptor subtract-1 (IRS-1) tyrosine 632 and protein kinase B (AKT) ( p < 0.05). Importantly, the differential depositions of ALA and its long-chain n-3 fatty acids in plasma and ER membranes were observed, concomitant with the rescued ER unfolded protein response and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling in mice liver.

Rapid profiling and quantification of phospholipid molecular species in human plasma based on chemical derivatization coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, we developed a novel strategy using solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with shotgun mass spectrometry (MS) based on trimethylsilyldiazomethane (TMSCHN2) stable-isotope derivatization for rapid profiling and accurate quantification of phospholipids (PLs) in human plasma. HybridSPE-Phospholipid (HybridSPE-PL, zirconia coated silica stationary phase) was used for sample pretreatment via the Lewis acid-base interaction between zirconia and phosphate moiety of PLs. This step allows rapid enrichment and recovery of PLs from human plasma. Afterward, PLs were derivatized with TMSCHN2, which leads to methylation of hydroxyl and amino groups in PLs and allows highly sensitive PL analysis by shotgun MS in positive ionization mode (limit of detection decreased up to 116.67 fold compared to underived PLs). We developed an accuracy quantification method for determination of PL molecular species in biological samples. Two or more PL standards were selected for each PL class and derivatized with TMSCHN2 without stable-isotope coding. They were then used as the internal standards. PLs in biological samples were isotopic derivatized via acid-catalyzed H/D exchange and methanolysis of TMSCHN2. For accurate quantification, a calibration curve for each class of PLs was typically constructed by using the internal standards to normalize the non-uniformity response caused by the differential fragmentation kinetics resulting from the distinct chemical constitution of individual PL species in the biological samples. This newly developed method was used to comprehensively analyze PL molecular species in human plasma samples. It is a promising methodology for rapid profiling and accurate quantification of complex lipid molecules in biological samples.

Research advances based on mass spectrometry for profiling of triacylglycerols in oils and fats and their applications.

Vegetable oils and animal fats are dietary source of lipids that play critical and multiple roles in biological function. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the principal component of oils and fats with significant difference in profile among different oils and fats. TAG profiling is essential for nutritional evaluation, quality control and assurance of safety in oils and fats. However, analysis of TAGs is a challenging task because of the complicated composition of TAGs and their similar physicochemical properties in oils and fats. The rapid development of mass spectrometry (MS) technology in recent years makes it possible to analyze the composition, content and structure of TAGs in the study of the physical, chemical and nutritional properties of oils, fats and related products. This review described the research advancement based on MS for profiling of TAGs in oil, fat and their applications in food. The application of MS, including direct infusion strategies, and its combination with chromatography, gas chromatography-MS (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-MS (LC-MS), in the analysis of TAGs were reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of these analytical methods with relevant applications for TAGs analysis in food were also described.

Transcriptome analysis reveals GA induced apoptosis in HCT116 human colon cancer cells through calcium and p53 signal pathways.

Gallic acid (GA) is a polyphenol widely found in numerous fruits and vegetables that has been reported to exert anticancer effects, including apoptosis, against cancer cell lines. However, little is known about the induction of apoptotic effects and the underlying mechanism. We used RNA-seq to examine differentially expressed genes in human colon cancer HCT116 cells after 12 h and 24 h exposure to GA. A total of 792 and 911 genes with known functions showed significantly different expression levels in 12 h and 24 h GA-treated HCT116 cells, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the identified genes were involved in pathways such as cholinergic synapse, circadian entrainment, calcium signal processing and transport, arachidonic acid metabolism and the p53 signal pathway. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to validate the reliability of the results obtained by RNA-seq. The results of this study indicate that GA triggers apoptosis in HCT116 cells through obstructing the growth of cells in the early phase treatment by down-regulation of calcium channels and then up-regulation of the intrinsic p53 signal pathway through activation of apoptosis caspases, finally leading to the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

Rapid and sensitive detection of free fatty acids in edible oils based on chemical derivatization coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, a strategy based on chemical derivatization coupled with electrospray ionizationtandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) for rapid and sensitive detection of FFAs in edible oils was developed. A derivative reagent (N,N-diethyl-1,2-ethanediamine, DEEA) was employed to selectively label carboxyl groups of FFAs to form an amino compound with a tertiary amino group. The DEEA derivative products could lose a characteristic neutral loss fragment of 73Da in collision-induced dissociation (CID), which enabled to discriminate and analyze the DEEA derived FFAs with neutral loss scan (NLS 73Da)under the positive ion mode of mass spectrometry. The assay was linear over the concentration range 0.5-200nmol/L with satisfactory correlation coefficients (R2≥0.9942), whilst the limit of detection and quantitation were 0.1-0.3nmol/L and 0.3-1.0nmol/L, respectively. Finally, the established method was applied to determine dynamic FFA formation in seven types of edible oils subjected to a microwave heating treatment test.

Profiling and relative quantification of phosphatidylethanolamine based on acetone stable isotope derivatization.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is considered to be one of the pivotal lipids for normal cellular function as well as disease initiation and progression. In this study, a simple, efficient, reliable, and inexpensive method for the qualitative analysis and relative quantification of PE, based on acetone stable isotope derivatization combined with double neutral loss scan-shotgun electrospray ionization tandem-quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis (ASID-DNLS-Shotgun ESI-MS/MS), was developed. The ASID method led to alkylation of the primary amino groups of PE with an isopropyl moiety. The use of acetone (d0-acetone) and deuterium-labeled acetone (d6-acetone) introduced a 6 Da mass shift that was ideally suited for relative quantitative analysis, and enhanced sensitivity for mass analysis. The DNLS model was introduced to simultaneously analyze the differential derivatized PEs by shotgun ESI-MS/MS with high selectivity and accuracy. The reaction specificity, labeling efficiency, and linearity of the ASID method were thoroughly evaluated in this study. Its excellent applicability was validated by qualitative and relative quantitative analysis of PE species presented in liver samples from rats fed different diets. Using the ASID-DNLS-Shotgun ESI-MS/MS method, 45 PE species from rat livers have been identified and quantified in an efficient manner. The level of total PEs tended to decrease in the livers of rats on high fat diets compared with controls. The levels of PE 32:1, 34:3, 34:2, 36:3, 36:2, 42:10, plasmalogen PE 36:1 and lyso PE 22:6 were significantly reduced, while levels of PE 36:1 and lyso PE 16:0 increased.

Quantitation of triacylglycerols in edible oils by off-line comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using a single column.

In this investigation, off-line comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using a single column has been applied for the identification and quantification of triacylglycerols in edible oils. A novel mixed-mode phenyl-hexyl chromatographic column was employed in this off-line two-dimensional separation system. The phenyl-hexyl column combined the features of traditional C18 and silver-ion columns, which could provide hydrophobic interactions with triacylglycerols under acetonitrile conditions and can offer π-π interactions with triacylglycerols under methanol conditions. When compared with traditional off-line comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography employing two different chromatographic columns (C18 and silver-ion column) and using elution solvents comprised of two phases (reversed-phase/normal-phase) for triacylglycerols separation, the novel off-line comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography using a single column can be achieved by simply altering the mobile phase between acetonitrile and methanol, which exhibited a much higher selectivity for the separation of triacylglycerols with great efficiency and rapid speed. In addition, an approach based on the use of response factor with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed for triacylglycerols quantification. Due to the differences between saturated and unsaturated acyl chains, the use of response factors significantly improves the quantitation of triacylglycerols. This two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system was successfully applied for the profiling of triacylglycerols in soybean oils, peanut oils and lord oils. A total of 68 triacylglycerols including 40 triacylglycerols in soybean oils, 50 triacylglycerols in peanut oils and 44 triacylglycerols in lord oils have been identified and quantified. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data were analyzed using principal component analysis. The results of the principal component analysis enabled a clear identification of different plant oils. By using this two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system coupled with principal component analysis, adulterated soybean oils with 5% added lord oil and peanut oils with 5% added soybean oil can be clearly identified.

Ultrasonic pretreatment in lipase-catalyzed synthesis of structured lipids with high 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol content.

Production of structured lipid 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO), from tripalmitin (PPP) and oleic acid (OA) using lipases and ultrasonic pretreatment was conducted. Factors influencing both the ultrasonic conditions and enzymatic reaction were investigated. Optimum conditions could be attained with 6 min pretreatment time, 50% ultrasonic power, 3 s/9 s (work/pause) cycle of ultrasonic pulse, 1:8 PPP/OA molar ratio, 12% enzyme dosage and 50 °C temperature of. At the optimum conditions, the OPO yield of 51.8% could be achieved in 4h. Studies showed that the OPO content increased to 35.9% in 1h with ultrasonic pretreatment, in comparison to 4h without ultrasonic pretreatment. Reuse of Lipozyme RM IM for 10 cycles under ultrasonic irradiation did not cause essential damage to its lipase activity. Reaction kinetic model fitted well with the proposed Ping-Pong mechanism. The apparent kinetic constant (Vm'/K2) of ultrasound pretreatment reaction was 2.52 times higher than the conventional mechanical stirring, indicating that ultrasound pretreatment enhanced the substrates affinity to the enzyme. This study confirmed that ultrasonic pretreatment was more efficient in OPO production than conventional mechanical agitation.

Profiling of triacylglycerols in plant oils by high-performance liquid chromatography-atmosphere pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using a novel mixed-mode column.

In this investigation, a rapid and high-throughput method for profiling of TAGs in plant oils by liquid chromatography using a single column coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry was reported. A novel mixed-mode phenyl-hexyl chromatographic column was employed in this separation system. The phenyl-hexyl column could provide hydrophobic interactions as well as π-π interactions. Compared with two traditionally columns used in TAG separation - the C18 column and silver-ion column, this column exhibited much higher selectivity for the separation of TAGs with great efficiency and rapid speed. By comparison with a novel mix-mode column (Ag-HiSep OTS column), which can also provide both hydrophobic interactions as well as π-π interactions for the separation of TAGs, phenyl-hexyl column exhibited excellent stability. LC method using phenyl-hexyl column coupled with APCI-MS was successfully applied for the profiling of TAGs in soybean oils, peanut oils, corn oils, and sesame oils. 29 TAGs in peanut oils, 22 TAGs in soybean oils, 19 TAGs in corn oils, and 19 TAGs in sesame oils were determined and quantified. The LC-MS data was analyzed by barcodes and principal component analysis (PCA). The resulting barcodes constitute a simple tool to display differences between different plant oils. Results of PCA also enabled a clear identification of different plant oils. This method provided an efficient and convenient chromatographic technology for the fast characterization and quantification of complex TAGs in plant oils at high selectivity. It has great potential as a routine analytical method for analysis of edible oil quality and authenticity control.

Preparation and characterization of novel lipid carriers containing microalgae oil for food applications.

This work investigated the suitability of lipid carriers as potential encapsulation method to improve the physical and chemical stability of microalgae oil high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Lipid carriers with various oil contents were successfully prepared by a microfluidization method using stearic acid as solid lipid, microalgae oil as liquid lipid, and poloxamer 188 as surfactant. Results show that the mean particle diameter of the lipid carriers was in the range of 300 to 350 nm with the polydispersity index below 0.2. The lipid carriers were found to have spherical shape when examined under the transmission electron microscope. Data from the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity indicate high distribution of microalgae oil throughout the lipid carriers and good physical stability as reflected by the particle size and size distribution during storage. Furthermore, the lower DPPH scavenging activity of lipid carriers compared with that of free microalgae oil suggests better chemical stability of microalgae oil encapsulated in lipid carriers. The addition of microalgae oil into lipid phase could disturb the crystalline order and form lattice defects to enable encapsulation of DHA as revealed by the results from differential scanning calorimetery. Current results suggest that this type of novel lipid carriers could be an efficient and promising carrier system for delivery of microalgae oil.