Ultraviolet Absorbing Efficacy and Photostability of Feruloylated Soybean Oil

Biophysical characterization of α-glucan nanoparticles encapsulating feruloylated soy glycerides (FSG)

Water insoluble α-glucans that were enzymatically synthesized using glucansucrase that was cloned from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1118 were previously shown to form nanoparticles via high pressure homogenization. These α-glucan nanoparticles were previously shown capable of encapsulating a small hydrophobic molecule. This work demonstrates that the same α-glucan can be formed into nanoparticles that encapsulate feruloylated soy glycerides from modified soybean oil, a product of interest to the cosmetic and skin care industries because of the UV absorbance and antioxidant properties of the feruloyl moiety. It is demonstrated that the feruloylated soy glyceride/α-glucan nanoparticles have distinct size, zeta potential and thermal profiles from that of nanoparticles made from α-glucan alone or feruloylated soy glyceride alone. Thermal analysis also demonstrates the release of feruloylated soy glycerides from the α-glucan nanoparticles.

Effect of Ferulic Acid and Its Derivatives on Cold-Pressed Flaxseed Oil Oxidative Stability and Bioactive Compounds Retention during Oxidation

Ferulic acid (FA) is a naturally occurring phenolic antioxidant that is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries due to its low toxicity. Its derivatives also find numerous industrial applications and may have even higher biological activity than ferulic acid. In this study, the effect of the addition of FA and its derivatives-including vanillic acid (VA), dihydroferulic acid (DHFA), and 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG)-on the oxidative stability of cold-pressed flaxseed oil and the degradation of bioactive compounds during oxidation was investigated. The results showed that FA and its derivatives affected the oxidative stability of flaxseed oil, but their antioxidant activity depended on the concentration (25-200 mg/100 g oil) and temperature of treatment (60-110 °C). Based on Rancimat test results, flaxseed oil oxidative stability predicted at 20 °C increased linearly with ferulic acid concentration, while its derivatives effectively prolonged the induction time at lower concentrations (50-100 mg/100 g oil). The addition of phenolic antioxidants (80 mg/100 g) generally showed a protective effect against polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHFA and 4-VG), sterols (4-VG), tocols (DHFA), squalene, and carotenoids (FA). The exception was VA, which increased the degradation of most bioactive compounds. It is believed that adding properly composed mixtures of FA and its derivatives (DHFA and 4-VG) can extend the shelf life of flaxseed oil and provide nutritional benefits.

Recent advances in the enzymatic synthesis of lipophilic antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds

Due to the increase in the consumption of highly processed food in developed countries, as well as, a growing number of foodborne diseases, exploration of new food additives is an issue focusing on scientific attention and industrial interest. Functional compounds with lipophilic properties are remarkably desirable due to the high susceptibility to the deterioration of lipid-rich food products. This paper in a comprehensive manner provides the current knowledge about the enzymatic synthesis of lipophilic components that could act as multifunctional food additives. The main goal of enzymatic lipophilization of compounds intentionally added to food is to make these substances soluble in lipids and/or to obtain environmentally friendly surfactants. Moreover, lipase-catalyzed syntheses could result in changes in the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids (oligopeptides), and carboxylic acids. The review describes also the implementation of a new trend in green chemistry, where apart from simple and uncomplicated chemical compounds, the modifications of multi-compound mixtures, such as phenolic extracts or essential oils have been carried out.

Rapid Raman spectroscopic determination of 1-feruloyl-sn-glycerol and 1,3-diferuloyl-sn-glycerol

Ferulic acid and its derivatives are important natural products found throughout the plant kingdom and are of special interest due to their health benefits. 1-Feruloyl-sn-glycerol (FG) and 1,3-diferuloyl-sn-glycerol (F₂G) are two common bioproducts of ferulic acid that co-occur in nature and during the biocatalytic production of feruloylated lipids. In this paper, we report a comprehensive characterization of FG and F₂G using Raman and UV spectroscopies and theoretical density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G** level. UV spectroscopy produced spectra for FG and F₂G with similar peak shape, but difference intensities. The vibrational frequency calculations aided in the assignment of the Raman bands. The Raman analysis demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy is a rapid label free method to clearly distinguish between FG and F₂G.

Enzymatic Synthesis and Flash Chromatography Separation of 1,3-Diferuloyl-sn-Glycerol and 1-Feruloyl-sn-Glycerol

Ethyl ferulate was transesterified with Enova Oil (a soy-based vegetable oil containing 80-85% diacylglycerol) using Novozym 435 at 60 °C. The resultant feruloylated vegetable oil reaction product produced a precipitate (96.4 g, 4.02 wt%) after 7 d of standing at room temperature. Preliminary characterization of the precipitate identified the natural phenylpropenoids 1,3-diferuloyl-sn-glycerol (F2G) and 1-feruloyl-sn-glycerol (FG) as the major components. A flash chromatography method was developed and optimized (e.g., mass of sample load, flow rate, binary solvent gradient slope, and separation run length) using a binary gradient of hexane and acetone mobile phase and silica gel stationary phase to separate and isolate F2G and FG. The optimized parameters afforded F2G (1.188 ± 0.052 g, 39.6 ± 1.7%) and FG (0.313 ± 0.038 g, 10.4 ± 1.3%) from 3.0 g of the transesterification precipitate, n = 10 trials. Overall, all flash chromatography separations combined, F2G (39.1 g, 40.6%) and FG (9.4 g, 9.8%) were isolated in a combined yield of 48.5 g (51.4%), relative to the 96.4 g of transesterification precipitate collected. The optimized flash chromatography method was a necessary improvement over previously reported preparative HPLC and column chromatography methods used to purify milligram to low gram quantities of F2G and FG to be able to process ~100 g of material in a timely, efficient manner.