Implementation of plant extracts for cheddar-type cheese production in conjunction with FTIR and Raman spectroscopy comparison.

Plant extracts have demonstrated the ability to act as coagulants for milk coagulation at an adequate concentration, wide temperatures and pH ranges. This research is focused on the use of different vegetative extracts such as Citrus aurnatium flower extract (CAFE), bromelain, fig latex, and melon extract as economical and beneficial coagulants in the development of plant-based cheddar-type cheese. The cheddar-type cheese samples were subjected to physicochemical analysis in comparison to controlled cheese samples made from acetic acid and rennet. The fat, moisture, protein, and salt contents remained the same over the storage period, but a slight decline was observed in pH. The Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) increased with the passage of the ripening period. The FTIR and Raman spectra showed exponential changes and qualitative estimates in the binding and vibrational structure of lipids and protein in plant-based cheeses. The higher FTIR and Raman spectra bands were observed in acid, rennet, bromelain, and CAFE due to their firm and strong texture of cheese while lower spectra were observed in cheese made from melon extract due to weak curdling and textural properties. These plant extracts are economical and easily available alternative sources for cheese production with higher protein and nutritional contents.

Stabilization of myoglobin from different species (produced by cellular agriculture) using food-grade natural and synthetic antioxidants.

Cellular agriculture products, like myoglobin, are increasingly used by the food industry to provide desirable sensory properties to plant-based meat substitutes. This study elucidated the physicochemical properties and redox stability of myoglobin from both natural (equine) and cellular agriculture (bovine, sperm whale, and leopard) sources. The electrical characteristics and water-solubility of the different myoglobin samples were measured from pH 2.5 to 8.5. The isoelectric point of the myoglobin samples depended on the species, being pH 5.5 for equine, pH 4.5 for leopard and bovine, and pH 6.5 for sperm whale. All myoglobin samples had a solubility greater than 80% across the entire pH range studied. All myoglobin solutions appeared red and had two peaks in their UV-visible absorbance spectra after one day, which is consistent with oxymyoglobin formation. Equine myoglobin at pH 8 was selected to study its redox and color stability over time, where the oxymyoglobin oxidative status closely paralleled with the redness of the solutions. The effects of antioxidants (ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, gallic acid, quercetin, taxifolin, Trolox, and 4-methylcatechol) on the redox and color stability (redness) of the equine myoglobin (pH 8.0) was also studied. Antioxidants with low reduction potential values (ascorbic acid and quercetin) were particularly effective at enhancing the color stability of oxymyoglobin. The computational modeling study showed that amino acids on the myoglobin interacted with antioxidants through hydrogen bonds. The insights obtained may have important implications for the use of cellular agriculture to produce myoglobin for food applications.

The impact of konjac glucomannan on the physical and chemical stability of walnut oil-in-water emulsions coated by whey proteins.

BACKGROUND: Walnut oil, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), can be incorporated into food emulsions to increase their nutritional value. However, these emulsions are highly susceptible to deterioration during storage due to lipid oxidation. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a neutral plant polysaccharide used as a stabilizer, thickener or gelling agent in foods. The goal of this study was to incorporate KGM into oil-in-water emulsions containing walnut oil droplets coated by whey protein isolate (WPI) and then determine its effects on their physical and oxidative stability. RESULTS: At pH 3, inclusion of KGM (0.1-1 g kg-1 ) reduced the positive surface potential on the droplets in the emulsions and modified the secondary structure of the adsorbed whey proteins, suggesting an interaction between KGM and WPI at the droplet surfaces. The physical stability of the emulsions was enhanced when 0.1-0.6 g kg-1 KGM was added but reduced at higher levels. Lipid oxidation was inhibited in the emulsions in a dose-dependent manner when 0.2-0.6 g kg-1 KGM was added but protein oxidation was promoted at higher KGM levels. The steric hindrance provided by the thick WPI-KGM interfaces, as well as the ability of the polysaccharides to modify the antioxidant properties of the adsorbed proteins, may account for these effects. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that KGM can be used to inhibit lipid oxidation in emulsified foods containing protein-coated oil droplets. However, its level must be optimized because higher doses can result in droplet aggregation and protein oxidation. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Formation of Antioxidant Multilayered Coatings for the Prevention of Lipid and Protein Oxidation in Oil-in-Water Emulsions: Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides and Whey Proteins.

The impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on the physical and chemical stability of oil-in-water emulsions coated by a whey protein isolate (WPI) was investigated. At pH 3.0, the anionic LBP (0.2-0.6 wt %) molecules were electrostatically deposited onto the cationic surfaces of the WPI-coated oil droplets, leading to the formation of stable multilayered emulsions containing WPI-/LBP-coated oil droplets. However, increasing the LBP concentration to 0.8 wt % led to oil droplet aggregation, which was attributed to charge neutralization, bridging flocculation, and/or depletion flocculation. For subsequent experiments, a low (0.2%) and an intermediate (0.6%) LBP dose was used to prepare the secondary emulsions, and then their physical and oxidative stability was studied during 8 days of storage at 37 °C. The presence of the multilayer WPI/LBP coatings around the oil droplets inhibited lipid oxidation (reduced levels of lipid hydroperoxides and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), as well as protein oxidation (reduced levels of carbonyl formation, sulfhydryl consumption, molecular weight modifications, intrinsic fluorescence loss, and Schiff-base fluorescence gain). The antioxidant effects of the multilayer coatings were greater at the higher LBP concentration. These results suggest that LBP, a natural plant-based polysaccharide isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine, can be used to improve the quality of emulsion-based foods. However, the level used should be optimized to ensure good physical and oxidative stability of the emulsions.

Oxidation in Low Moisture Foods as a Function of Surface Lipids and Fat Content.

Lipid oxidation is a major limitation to the shelf-life of low moisture foods and can lead to food waste. Little is known of whether the surface lipids in low moisture foods are more susceptible to oxidation since they are exposed to the environment. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to compare the rate of oxidation in surface and total lipids. Lipids in crackers were found to be in a heterogeneous matrix with proteins and starch, as determined by confocal microscopy. However, unlike spray-dried powders, both surface and interior lipids oxidized at similar rates, suggesting that the cracker matrix was not able to protect lipids from oxidation. Increasing the fat content of the crackers increased oxidation rates, which could be due to differences in the lipid structure or higher water activities in the high-fat crackers.

Impact of tea polyphenols on the stability of oil-in-water emulsions coated by whey proteins.

The ability of tea polyphenols (0, 0.01, 0.02 or 0.04 w/v %) to inhibit lipid and protein oxidation in walnut oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions was examined, as well as to alter their stability to aggregation and creaming. The lipid droplets in these emulsions were coated by whey proteins. The physical stability of the emulsions during storage (50 °C, 96 h) was improved by addition of 0.01% tea polyphenols, but reduced when higher levels were added. Low levels (0.01%) of tea polyphenols inhibited lipid oxidation (lipid hydroperoxide and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance formation) and protein oxidation (carbonyl and Schiff base formation, sulfhydryl and intrinsic fluorescence loss, and molecular weight changes). However, high levels (0.04%) of tea polyphenols were less effective at inhibiting lipid oxidation, and actually promoted protein oxidation. Tea polyphenols are natural antioxidants that can enhance the quality and shelf life of emulsified polyunsaturated lipids when used at an appropriate concentration.

Inhibition of Lipid and Protein Oxidation in Whey-Protein-Stabilized Emulsions Using a Natural Antioxidant: Black Rice Anthocyanins.

The food industry is exploring the natural environment to identify botanical extracts that can be used as functional ingredients that can replace synthetic ingredients in foods. In the present study, the ability of black rice anthocyanins as natural antioxidants to inhibit both lipid and protein oxidation in protein-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions was examined. Whey-protein-stabilized emulsions were prepared containing 0, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06% (w/v) anthocyanins, and then the impact of this plant-based extract on their physical and chemical stabilities was evaluated. The addition of the anthocyanins improved the physical stability of the emulsions in a dose-dependent manner by inhibiting droplet aggregation during storage (35 °C for 5 days). The anthocyanins also exhibited good antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner, as seen by their capacity for inhibiting both lipid oxidation (reduced lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde) and protein oxidation (reduced carbonyl and Schiff base formation, intrinsic fluorescence loss, and molecular weight changes). Black rice anthocyanins may therefore be an effective botanical extract for improving the stability of protein-stabilized food emulsions by inhibiting oxidative reactions.

Enhancement of chemical stability of curcumin-enriched oil-in-water emulsions: Impact of antioxidant type and concentration.

Curcumin is claimed to have many health benefits, but it has low chemical stability. In this study, the influence of food-grade antioxidants on the chemical degradation of curcumin-enriched oil-in-water emulsions was examined. The curcumin degradation rate and extent depended on antioxidant type. The water-soluble antioxidants were more effective at protecting curcumin from degradation than the oil-soluble ones, which may have been because curcumin degrades faster in water than in oil. Interestingly, the amphiphilic antioxidant was almost as effective as the water-soluble ones. The oil-soluble antioxidant actually slightly promoted curcumin degradation. In summary, curcumin retention after storage declined in the following order: 82.6% (Trolox) ~82.2% (ascorbic acid) >79.5% (ascorbyl palmitate) ≫57.9% (control) >52.7% (α-tocopherol). The effectiveness of ascorbic acid in stabilizing curcumin increased as its concentration was raised (0-300 µM). Our results may facilitate the creation of curcumin-enriched foods and beverages with enhanced bioactivity.

Effects of water activity, sugars, and proteins on lipid oxidative stability of low moisture model crackers.

Understanding lipid oxidation mechanisms in low moisture foods is necessary to develop antioxidant strategies to increase shelf life and/or to improve nutritional quality by increasing polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations. In this study, we examined the influence of water activity (aw), sugars (glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, and cyclodextrin), and proteins (casein and gluten) on the lipid hydroperoxide and hexanal lag phases of model crackers. Oxidative stability of crackers was in an order: aw 0.7 > aw 0.4 > aw 0.2 > aw 0.05. Higher water activities resulted in bigger differences between hydroperoxide lag phases and hexanal lag phases. Compared to non-reducing cyclodextrin and no added sugar controls, reducing sugars including glucose, maltose, and maltodextrin at the same dextrose equivalence increased both hydroperoxide and hexanal lag phases. At the same dextrose equivalence, oxidative stability was in the order of maltose > maltodextrin > glucose > control (no sugar added). The antioxidant effectiveness of maltose, a low sweetness profile sugar, increased with increasing concentrations from 1.1 to 13.8%. Increasing aw increased the antioxidant activity of maltose. For example, 1.1% maltose increased both hydroperoxides and hexanal lag phases by 9 days at an aw of 0.2, but increased hydroperoxide lag phase by 24 days and hexanal lag phase by 15 days at an aw of 0.7. Gluten was able to inhibit lipid oxidation with activity increasing with increasing aw while casein showed minimal antioxidant impact. Antioxidant activity of gluten decreased when its sulfhydryl groups were blocked by N-ethylmaleimide suggesting that cysteine was an important antioxidant component of gluten. Adjusting water activity and addition of reducing sugars and gluten could be strategies to increase oxidative stability of low moisture crackers.

A combination of monoacylglycerol crystalline network and hydrophilic antioxidants synergistically enhances the oxidative stability of gelled algae oil.

In this study, base algae oil was gelled through the formation of a crystal network using food-grade monoacylglycerol (MAG). The impact of the MAG concentration (5, 10, 20 wt%) and water content (0, 5 wt%) on the physical properties and oxidative stability of the gelled algae oil was systematically investigated. The antioxidative activity of 300 µM hydrophilic antioxidant, i.e., ascorbic acid and green tea extract, on the oxidative stability of the gelled algae oil by 20 wt% of MAG was also examined. The results obtained clearly showed that the melting temperature, melting of entropy, and complex modulus of the algae oil increased with increasing the MAG concentration. The addition of 5 wt% water could negatively affect the strength of the MAG crystal network, while a physically stable gel system could only be formed with 20 wt% MAG. The stronger crystal network formed by 20 wt% MAG retarded the lipid oxidation of algae oil due to the creation of a physical barrier to restrain the attack from oxygen. The addition of green tea extract could further synergize with the MAG crystalline network by forming a thermodynamic barrier to effectively quench the radicals, thus prolonging the oxidative stability of algae oil 4-fold longer than that of the base algae oil.

Effects of sonication on the physicochemical and functional properties of walnut protein isolate.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of high-intensity ultrasound treatment (sonication) on the molecular, physicochemical, and functional properties of walnut protein isolate. Aqueous walnut protein suspensions were sonicated at varying power levels (200, 400 or 600 W) and times (15 or 30 min), and then any alternations in protein structure and properties were determined. SDS-PAGE demonstrated that there were no changes in protein electrophoretic patterns, indicating that sonication did not break covalent bonds. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated a small change in protein secondary structure after sonication, with a decrease in α-helix and increase in ß-sheet, ß-turn, and random coil content. There was an increase in surface free sulfhydryl (SH) groups and a decrease in fluorescence intensity after sonication, indicating that appreciable changes in tertiary structure occurred. Ultrasound reduced the size of the particles in aqueous walnut protein dispersions as confirmed by static light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, suggesting that sonication dissociated protein aggregates. Moreover, the water-solubility (+22%), emulsifying activity index (+26%), and emulsifying stability index (+41%) all increased after sonication. These results suggest that sonication is a valuable tool for improving the functional attributes of walnut proteins.

Ultrasound improving the physical stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by almond proteins.

BACKGROUND: Vegetable proteins are increasingly used to stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. However, emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Recently, high-intensity ultrasound (US) has been used to enhance the stability of emulsions. For these reasons, and considering almond (Prunus dulcis L.) as a good source of high-quality proteins, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of US treatment on the stability of pre-emulsification O/W emulsions coated with almond protein isolate (API). RESULTS: The influence of API concentration (0.25-2.0 g L-1 ), ion strength (0-500 mmol L-1 NaCl), and pH (3.0-7.0) on the stability of US-treated emulsions was evaluated. US treatment (200-600 W, 25 kHz, 15 min) led to a significant reduction in the particles size of droplets in emulsions, increased critical osmotic pressure and additional protein interfacial adsorption, and thus the formation of more stable emulsions. The more unfolded and random coil structures of the proteins were detected at higher US power, facilitating protein interfacial adsorption. Increasing API concentrations resulted in higher stability of US-treated emulsions against untreated counterparts. The US-treated emulsions were more resistant to salt than untreated samples. In the range from pH 3.0 to7.0, US treatment also enhanced the physical stability of emulsions compared with untreated emulsions. CONCLUSION: US technology could be applied to produce more stable O/W food emulsions stabilized by proteins. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Lutein-enriched emulsion-based delivery systems: Influence of emulsifiers and antioxidants on physical and chemical stability.

The impact of emulsifier type (quillaja saponin, Tween 80, whey protein and casein) and antioxidant type (EDTA, ascorbic acid, catechin, alpha tocopherol, ascorbic acid palmitate) on the physical and chemical stability of lutein-fortified emulsions was investigated. Quillaja saponin produced emulsions with the best overall stability to droplet aggregation, creaming, and colour fading during storage at 45°C for ten days. The impact of antioxidant type on the stability of lutein-fortified emulsions prepared using quillaja saponin was therefore investigated further. The extent of droplet aggregation and creaming was largely independent of antioxidant type. Surprisingly, most of the antioxidants promoted lutein degradation. Only ascorbic acid showed some ability to inhibit colour fading during storage, although EDTA had some inhibitory effects in the early stages of storage. This study suggests that lutein-enriched emulsions prepared using quillaja saponin as an emulsifier and ascorbic acid as an antioxidant may be the most suitable as delivery systems.

Impact of legume protein type and location on lipid oxidation in fish oil-in-water emulsions: Lentil, pea, and faba bean proteins.

Emulsion-based delivery systems are being developed to incorporate ω-3 fatty acids into functional foods and beverages. There is interest in formulating these delivery systems from more sustainable and label-friendly ingredients. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the impact of plant-protein emulsifiers on the oxidative stability of 1wt% fish oil-in-water emulsions. Fish oil emulsions stabilized by three types of legume protein (lentil, pea, and faba bean) were produced using a high-pressure microfluidizer. The formation of primary (peroxides) and secondary (TBARS) lipid oxidation products was measured when the emulsions were stored at 37°C under accelerated (+100µM iron sulfate) or non-accelerated (no added iron) conditions for 21 or 33days, respectively. The particle size, charge and microstructure of the emulsions were monitored during storage using light scattering and microscopy to detect changes in physical stability. Emulsions stabilized by whey protein isolate, a commonly used animal-based protein, were utilized as a control. The emulsions formed using whey protein had smaller initial particle sizes, better physical stability, and slightly better stability to lipid oxidation than the ones formed using plant-based proteins. The impact of protein location (adsorbed versus non-adsorbed) on the oxidative stability of the emulsions was also investigated. The presence of non-adsorbed proteins inhibited lipid oxidation, presumably by binding transition metals and reducing their ability to interact with ω-3 fatty acids in the lipid droplets. Overall, these results have important implications for fabricating emulsion-based delivery systems for bioactive lipids, e.g., they indicate that including high levels of non-adsorbed proteins could improve oxidative stability.

Safety evaluation and lipid-lowering effects of food-grade biopolymer complexes (ε-polylysine-pectin) in mice fed a high-fat diet.

ε-Polylysine (ε-PL) is a potent cationic antimicrobial, but its application as a food additive is currently limited because it tends to precipitate with anionic species in food matrices. Previous research has shown that the formation of an electrostatic complex between cationic ε-PL and anionic pectin (P) improved the physical stability of ε-PL while maintaining its antimicrobial activity. However, the impact of complexation on the effects of ε-PL on health is currently unknown. A subchronic toxicity study was therefore carried out to determine the safety of ingested ε-PL-P complexes using high-fat diet-fed male and female mice. After a 13-week dietary treatment with P, ε-PL, or ε-PL-P complexes, no significant toxicological effects were observed on the survival, mean body weight, food consumption, and organ weights of the animals, suggesting that the complexes were safe for oral consumption. Interestingly, the ε-PL-P complexes were found to have several beneficial health effects: suppression of high-fat diet-induced elevation of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, reduction in serum total triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and an increase in fecal excretion of triglycerides. These effects were much stronger in female mice than in male mice. Moreover, the lipid-lowering effects were observed only for the ε-PL-P complexes but not for ε-PL or P alone at the same doses. Overall, our results demonstrate the oral safety of ε-PL-P complexes and their gender-specific lipid-lowering effects in high-fat diet-fed mice, which provide an important basis for the utilization of ε-PL-P complexes in food systems as functional ingredients.

Physical and Oxidative Stability of Flaxseed Oil-in-Water Emulsions Fabricated from Sunflower Lecithins: Impact of Blending Lecithins with Different Phospholipid Profiles.

There is great interest in the formulation of plant-based foods enriched with nutrients that promote health, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study evaluated the impact of sunflower phospholipid type on the formation and stability of flaxseed oil-in-water emulsions. Two sunflower lecithins (Sunlipon 50 and 90) with different phosphatidylcholine (PC) levels (59 and 90%, respectively) were used in varying ratios to form emulsions. Emulsion droplet size, charge, appearance, microstructure, and oxidation were measured during storage at 55 °C in the dark. The physical and chemical stability increased as the PC content of the lecithin blends decreased. The oxidative stability of emulsions formulated using Sunlipon 50 was better than emulsions formulated using synthetic surfactants (SDS or Tween 20). The results are interpreted in terms of the impact of emulsifier type on the colloidal interactions between oil droplets and on the molecular interactions between pro-oxidants and oil droplet surfaces.

Fabrication of Concentrated Fish Oil Emulsions Using Dual-Channel Microfluidization: Impact of Droplet Concentration on Physical Properties and Lipid Oxidation.

Chemically unstable lipophilic bioactives, such as polyunsaturated lipids, often have to be encapsulated in emulsion-based delivery systems before they can be incorporated into foods, supplements, and pharmaceuticals. The objective of this study was to develop highly concentrated emulsion-based fish oil delivery systems using natural emulsifiers. Fish oil-in-water emulsions were fabricated using a highly efficient dual-channel high-pressure microfluidizer. The impact of oil concentration on the formation, physical properties, and oxidative stability of fish oil emulsions prepared using two natural emulsifiers (quillaja saponins and rhamnolipids) and one synthetic emulsifier (Tween-80) was examined. The mean droplet size, polydispersity, and apparent viscosity of the fish oil emulsions increased with increasing oil content. However, physically stable emulsions with high fish oil levels (30 or 40 wt %) could be produced using all three emulsifiers, with rhamnolipids giving the smallest droplet size (d < 160 nm). The stability of the emulsions to lipid oxidation increased as the oil content increased. The oxidative stability of the emulsions also depended on the nature of the emulsifier coating the lipid droplets, with the oxidative stability decreasing in the following order: rhamnolipids > saponins ≈ Tween-80. These results suggest that rhamnolipids may be particularly effective at producing emulsions containing high concentrations of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-rich fish oil.

Role of continuous phase protein, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate and carrier oil on ß-carotene degradation in oil-in-water emulsions.

The chemical instability of ß-carotene limits its utilization as a nutraceutical ingredient in foods. In this research, the effect of continuous phase alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on ß-carotene degradation in medium chain triacylglycerol (MCT)- and corn oil-in-water emulsions was examined. EGCG significantly inhibited ß-carotene degradation in both MCT and corn oil-in-water emulsions in a dose dependent manner. α-LA was not able to protect ß-carotene in MCT emulsions and the combination of EGCG and α-LA had a similar effect as EGCG alone. EGCG had no effect on lipid oxidation in corn oil-in-water emulsions but can protect ß-carotene. ß-Carotene was more stable in corn oil emulsions stabilized by α-LA compared to emulsions stabilized by Tween 20. These results show that EGCG is effective at protecting ß-carotene in different emulsion systems without negatively impacting lipid oxidation suggesting that it could be utilized to increase the incorporation of ß-carotene into food emulsions.

Lipid oxidation in base algae oil and water-in-algae oil emulsion: Impact of natural antioxidants and emulsifiers.

The impact of natural hydrophilic antioxidants, metal chelators, and hydrophilic antioxidant/metal chelator mixture on the oxidative stability of base algae oil and water-in-algae oil emulsion was investigated. The results showed that green tea extract and ascorbic acid had greatest protective effect against algae oil oxidation and generated four day lag phase, whereas rosmarinic acid, grape seed extract, grape seed extract polymer, deferoxamine (DFO), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) had no significant protective effect. Besides, there was no synergistic effect observed between natural antioxidants and ascorbic acid. The emulsifiers are critical to the physicochemical stability of water-in-algae oil emulsions. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) promoted the oxidation of emulsion. Conversely, the protective effect on algae oil oxidation was appreciated when defatted soybean lecithin (PC 75) or defatted lyso-lecithin (Lyso-PC) was added. The role of hydrophilic antioxidants in emulsion was similar to that in algae oil except EDTA which demonstrated strong antioxidative effect in emulsion. The results could provide information to build up stable food products containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

Enhancement of carotenoid bioaccessibility from carrots using excipient emulsions: influence of particle size of digestible lipid droplets.

The influence of initial lipid droplet size on the ability of excipient emulsions to increase carotenoid bioaccessibility from carrots was investigated using a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Corn oil-in-water excipient emulsions were fabricated with different surface-weighted mean droplet diameters: d32 = 0.17 µm (fine), 0.46 µm (medium), and, 10 µm (large). Bulk oil containing a similar quantity of lipids as the emulsions was used as a control. The excipient emulsions and control were mixed with pureed carrots, and then passed through a simulated GIT (mouth, stomach, and small intestine), and changes in particle size, charge, microstructure, lipid digestion, and carotenoid bioaccessibility were measured. Carotenoid bioaccessibility significantly increased with decreasing lipid droplet size in the excipient emulsions, which was attributed to the rapid formation of mixed micelles that could solubilize the carotenoids in the intestinal fluids. These results have important implications for designing excipient foods, such as dressings, dips, creams, and sauces, to increase the bioavailability of health-promoting nutraceuticals in foods.