Emulsifying Properties of Different Modified Sunflower Lecithins

PRODAN Photophysics as a Tool to Determine the Bilayer Properties of Different Unilamellar Vesicles Composed of Phospholipids

Vesicles formed by phospholipids are promising candidates for drug delivery. It is known that the lipid composition affects properties such as the rigidity-fluidity of the membrane and that it influences the bilayer permeability, but sometimes sophisticated techniques are selected to monitor them. In this work, we study the bilayer of different unilamellar vesicles composed of different lipids (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC, and lecithin) and diverse techniques such as extruder and electrospun templates and using 6-propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethyl) aminonaphthalene (PRODAN) and its photophysics. Moreover, we were able to monitor the influence of cholesterol on the bilayers. We demonstrate that the bilayer properties can be evaluated using the emission feature of the molecular probe PRODAN. This fluorescent probe gives relevant information on the polarity and fluidity of the microenvironment for unilamellar vesicles formed by two different methods. The PRODAN emission at 434 nm suggests that the bilayer properties significantly change if DOPC or lecithin is used in the vesicle preparation especially in their fluidity. Moreover, cholesterol induces alterations in the bilayer's structural and microenvironmental properties to a greater or lesser degree in both vesicles. Thus, we propose an easy and elegant way to evaluate physicochemical properties, which is fundamental for manufacturing vesicles as a drug delivery system, simply by monitoring the molecular probe emission band centered at 434 nm, which corresponds to the PRODAN species deep inside the bilayer.

The roles of soybean lecithin in aquafeed: a crucial need and update

Soybean lecithin is extensively used as the dietary supplementation of phospholipids in animal production. Soybean lecithin plays significant roles in aquafeed as growth promoter, feed enhancer, immunity modulator and antioxidant activity stimulator for aquaculture species. Besides, soybean lecithin is also reported to help aquaculture species being resilient to physical and chemical stressors. In this review, common sources, chemical structure and mode of action of lecithin, with highlight on soybean lecithin application in aquaculture over four-decadal studies published between 1983 and 2023, were evaluated and summarized. By far, soybean lecithin is best-known for its beneficial effects, availability yet cost-effective for aquafeed formulation. Findings from this review also demonstrate that although nutritional profile of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk and marine sources are superior to those from plant sources such as soybean, it is rather costly for sustainable application in aquafeed formulation. Moreover, commercially available products that incorporate soybean lecithin with other feed additives are promising to boost aquaculture production. Overall, effects of soybean lecithin supplementation are well-recognized on larval and juvenile of aquaculture species which having limited ability to biosynthesis phospholipids de novo, and correspondingly attribute to phospholipid, a primary component of soybean lecithin, that is essential for rapid growth during early stages development. In addition, soybean lecithin supplementation plays a distinguish role in stimulating maturation of gonadal development in the adults, especially for crustaceans.

Enzymatic synthesis of mono- and disubstituted phospholipids by direct condensation of oleic acid and glycerophosphocholine with immobilized lipases and phospholipase

Lysophospholipids which contain polyunsaturated fatty acids play a key role in food and cosmetic industries because of their bioactivity. Therefore, the formation of mono- and disubstituted phospholipids is quite interesting as they could be used for the formation of different natural liposomes. Using immobilized derivatives of lipases and phospholipases, the esterification of oleic acid with glycerophosphocholine (GPC) has been studied. Thus, derivatives were quite active in completely anhydrous media and in solvent-free reaction systems where the reaction takes place. CALB biocatalyst was able to successfully form oleoyl-LPC at 60 °C in the presence of 30 % butanone, where the synthesis rate was 100 times higher than in the absence of solvents at 40 °C. On the other hand, the best synthesis rate for dioleoyl-PC was achieved with immobilized Lecitase in a solvent-free process at 60 °C, an 83 % synthesis yield was achieved with an initial synthesis rate of 4.32 mg/mL × h × g.

Influence of Oil Polarity and Cosurfactants on the Foamability of Mono- and Diacylphosphatidylcholine Stabilized Emulsions

Foam formulations are safe and effective therapy options for the treatment of chronic skin conditions that require the application of a topical formulation to delicate skin areas, such as scalp psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. This study focused on the development of foamable emulsions based on aqueous phospholipid blends. The effects of cosurfactants (nonionic Lauryglucoside (LG); zwitterionic Lauramidopropyl betaine (LAPB)), as well as of oil phases of different polarities, namely paraffin oil (PO), medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and castor oil (CO), were investigated. The foaming experiments showed that both the type of cosurfactant, as well as the type of oil phase, affects the quality of the resulting foam. Emulsions that were based on a combination of hydrogenated lysophosphatidylcholine (hLPC) and a non-hydrogenated phospholipid, as well as LG as a cosurfactant and MCT as an oil phase, yielded the most satisfactory results. Furthermore, profile analysis tensiometry (PAT), polarization microscopy and laser diffraction analysis were used to characterize the developed formulations. These experiments suggest that the employed phospholipids predominantly stabilize the emulsions, while the cosurfactants are mainly responsible for the formation and stabilization of the foams. However, it appears that both sets of excipients are needed in order to acquire stable emulsions with satisfactory foaming properties.

Multi-ligand modified PC@DOX-PA/EGCG micelles effectively inhibit the growth of ER+, PR+ or HER2+ breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world with tumor heterogeneity. Currently, cancer treatment mainly relies on surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, for which the side effects, drug resistance and cost need to be resolved. In this study, we develop a natural medicine targeted therapy system. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), doxorubicin (DOX), procyanidin (PA), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are assembled and PC@DOX-PA/EGCG nanoparticles (NPs) are obtained. In addition, the HER2, ER and PR ligands were grafted on the surface of the NPs to acquire the targeted nanoparticles NP-ER, NP-ER-HER2, and NP-ER-HER2-PR. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were detected and it was found that the nanoparticles are spherical and less than 200 nm in diameter. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo results indicate that the nanoparticles can target BT-474, MCF-7, EMT-6, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, effectively inhibiting the growth of the breast cancer cells. In short, this research will provide some strategies for the treatment of heterogeneous breast cancer.

Direct impact of commonly used dietary emulsifiers on human gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Epidemiologic evidence and animal studies implicate dietary emulsifiers in contributing to the increased prevalence of diseases associated with intestinal inflammation, including inflammatory bowel diseases and metabolic syndrome. Two synthetic emulsifiers in particular, carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80, profoundly impact intestinal microbiota in a manner that promotes gut inflammation and associated disease states. In contrast, the extent to which other food additives with emulsifying properties might impact intestinal microbiota composition and function is not yet known.

METHODS

To help fill this knowledge gap, we examined here the extent to which a human microbiota, maintained ex vivo in the MiniBioReactor Array model, was impacted by 20 different commonly used dietary emulsifiers. Microbiota density, composition, gene expression, and pro-inflammatory potential (bioactive lipopolysaccharide and flagellin) were measured daily.

RESULTS

In accordance with previous studies, both carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80 induced a lasting seemingly detrimental impact on microbiota composition and function. While many of the other 18 additives tested had impacts of similar extent, some, such as lecithin, did not significantly impact microbiota in this model. Particularly stark detrimental impacts were observed in response to various carrageenans and gums, which altered microbiota density, composition, and expression of pro-inflammatory molecules.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that numerous, but not all, commonly used emulsifiers can directly alter gut microbiota in a manner expected to promote intestinal inflammation. Moreover, these data suggest that clinical trials are needed to reduce the usage of the most detrimental compounds in favor of the use of emulsifying agents with no or low impact on the microbiota. Video abstract.

Lecithins from Vegetable, Land, and Marine Animal Sources and Their Potential Applications for Cosmetic, Food, and Pharmaceutical Sectors

The aim of this work was to review the reported information about the phospholipid composition of lecithins derived from several natural sources (lipids of plant, animal, and marine origin) and describe their main applications for the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical sectors. This study was carried out using specialized search engines and according to the following inclusion criteria: (i) documents published between 2005 and 2020, (ii) sources of lecithins, (iii) phospholipidic composition of lecithins, and (iv) uses and applications of lecithins. Nevertheless, this work is presented as a narrative review. Results of the review indicated that the most studied source of lecithin is soybean, followed by sunflower and egg yolk. Contrarily, only a few numbers of reports focused on lecithins derived from marine animals despite the relevance of this source in association with an even higher composition of phospholipids than in case of those derived from plant sources. Finally, the main applications of lecithins were found to be related to their nutritional aspects and ability as emulsion stabilizers and lipid component of liposomes.

Optimized Birch Bark Extract-Loaded Colloidal Dispersion Using Hydrogenated Phospholipids as Stabilizer

This study investigated the formulation and processing of aqueous colloidal dispersions containing a birch bark dry extract (TE) as the active substance and hydrogenated phospholipids (Phospholipon 90H) as stabilizer, which can be used in the preparation of electrospun wound dressings. Colloidal dispersions manufactured using a two-stage homogenization process had a bimodal particle size distribution, which was most significantly (p < 0.0001) affected by the phospholipid content. The size of the single particles decreased from an average particle size of about 4 µm to a particle size of approximately 400 nm. Dynamic interfacial tension studies performed using a profile analysis tensiometer (PAT) showed that the phospholipids strongly declined the interfacial tension, whereas a further decrease was observed when phospholipids were combined with birch bark extract. Interfacial viscoelasticity properties analyzed using the oscillating drop technique resulted in an increase of both interfacial elasticity and viscosity values. These results indicated that the phospholipids are preferentially located at the lipophilic/water interface and a stable film is formed. Furthermore, the results point to a synergistic interaction between phospholipids and TE. Confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) suggested that the TE is predominantly located in the oil phase and the phospholipids at the interface.

Optimization of the silica-gel adsorption technique for the extraction of phytosterol glycosides from soybean lecithin powder using response surface methodology and artificial neural network models

Phytosterol glycosides (PGs), comprising both acylated steryl glycosides (ASGs) and steryl glycosides (SGs), are active ingredients with benefits for human use. Here, we aimed to optimize the silica-gel adsorption technique for the extraction of PGs from soybean lecithin powder, which contains 5 to 10% of these glycolipids. Both response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were applied to optimize the PG extraction parameters (X1 = silica-gel dosage, X2 = adsorption temperature, and X3 = lecithin concentration) for high-purity phospholipid and PG production, and their prediction and optimization accuracies were compared. Although both models fitted well with the experimental data, the ANN model demonstrated better accuracy for predicting and optimizing the conditions using four interrelated dependent variables (Y1 = phospholipid yield, Y2 = ASG recovery, Y3 = SG recovery, and Y4 = PG purity) and had a higher coefficient of determination and lower root mean square error and absolute average deviation. After digitally setting the percentages of the four dependent variables for phospholipid and PG production, the ANN-optimized phospholipid product (Y1 = 88.07%, Y2 = 98.89%, Y3 = 100%, and Y4 = 49.03%) was acquired at X1 = 3.54 g/g, X2 = 26 °C, and X3 = 43 mg/mL, whereas the PG product (Y1 = 83.83%, Y2 = 97.64%, Y3 = 100%, and Y4 = 59.21%) was obtained at X1 = 2.00 g/g, X2 = 28.38 °C, and X3 = 41 mg/mL. In conclusion, the ANN method was better than RSM for the optimization of the silica-gel adsorption technique for PG extraction from soybean lecithin powder. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This paper lays a theoretical foundation for the optimization of the industrial production of phytosterol glycosides and the comprehensive utilization of lecithin resources.

Emulsifying properties of defatted rice bran concentrates enriched in fiber and proteins

BACKGROUND

Rice bran (RB), a by-product of the rice milling industry, constitutes around 10% of the total weight of rough rice. The interest in the use of RB is centered on its nutritional quality, its low cost, and its extensive worldwide production. As RB is commonly used for oil extraction, the defatted rice bran (DRB) is obtained as a second by-product. The aim of this work was to obtain a defatted rice bran concentrate (DRBC), enriched in protein and fiber, from defatted rice bran flour (DRBF) and to determine its physicochemical and emulsifying properties.

RESULTS

To obtain the DRBC, the starch was efficiently hydrolyzed (> 98%) with α-amylase and amyloglucosidase, with a concomitant increase in the proportions of crude protein (from 154.7 to 274.3 g kg^-1 ) and total dietary fiber (from 276.1 to 492.3 g kg^-1 ). Defatted rice bran concentrate exhibited a loss of protein solubility and increased surface hydrophobicity compared with DRBF. Defatted rice-bran concentrate dispersions with and without previous ultrasound treatment were prepared. The sonication led to an increase in the apparent viscosity. Emulsions were prepared with dispersions with and without previous ultrasound treatment and showed high stability in quiescent conditions over 28 days. However, the emulsions prepared with dispersions treated with ultrasound resulted in lower D_4,3 values and higher elastic and viscous moduli.

CONCLUSION

The rice bran concentrate can be used to obtain stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, including both soluble and insoluble fractions, in acidic and neutral conditions. These innovative findings thus contribute to increasing the added value of this important by-product of the rice-milling industry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhanced fish oil-in-water emulsions enabled by rapeseed lecithins obtained under different processing conditions

It is hypothesized that rapeseed lecithins may have different emulsifying and antioxidant properties in delivering fish oil compared to soy lecithin based on previous studies. The results showed that in vitro antioxidant activities of rapeseed lecithins were stronger than those of soy lecithin. Emulsions stabilized by rapeseed based lecithins and DATEM were stable over 3 months at 4 °C, whereas the creaming of emulsions containing soy lecithin started immediately after its preparation. Zeta-potential of rapeseed lecithins was higher than soy lecithin and DATEM, which partially contributed to the emulsion stability. Although the particle sizes of emulsions prepared by rapeseed lecithins increased after 14 days storage, no creaming was observed. Lipid oxidation as indicated by TBARS values suggested that DATEM was the most unfavorable, followed by soy lecithin. It is concluded that rapeseed lecithins are better than soy lecithin and DATEM in terms of emulsion stability and antioxidant capability, respectively.

Lipase-catalyzed Synthesis of Oleoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine by Direct Esterification in Solvent-free Medium without Water Removal

In this work, the synthesis of oleoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine by lipase-catalyzed esterification of glycerophosphocholine (GPC) and free oleic acid in a reaction medium without solvent is presented. The complete solubilisation of GPC, which is a crucial issue in non-polar liquids such as melted free fatty acids, was reached by heating the GPC/oleic acid mixture at high temperature during a short time. The immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei (Lipozyme RM-IM) was shown to catalyze the reaction more efficiently than the immobilized lipases from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL-IM) and Candida antarctica (Novozym 435). The condition reactions leading to the highest yield were as follows: substrate ratio: 1/20 (GPC/oleic acid); amount of catalyst: 10% (w/w of substrates); temperature: 50°C. Under these conditions, a yield of 75% of oleoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine was achieved in 24 h under stirring and almost no dioleoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine was produced. Unlike other studies dealing with the esterification of GPC with free fatty acids, the removal of the water produced while the reaction proceeds was not necessary to reach high yields.

Effect of salt content and type on emulsifying properties of hull soy soluble polysaccharides at acidic pH

Hull soluble polysaccharide (HSPS) is a novel product consisting in a mixture of polysaccharides and proteins extracted from soy hulls by using a methodology based on the extraction of citric pectins. In this work we studied the effect of the addition of two different salts (NaCl and CaCl2) on the emulsifying properties of HSPS at acidic conditions. Low and high homogenization energies were used, obtaining coarse and fine emulsions, respectively. Mean droplet size, the stability against destabilizing processes (creaming, flocculation and coalescence) and the rheological properties of the emulsions were analyzed. Also, the rheology of the O/W interface was studied by using du Noüy ring geometry. Coarse HSPS emulsions were unstable to creaming, being more stable in the presence of salts. In contrast, fine HSPS emulsions showed long-term creaming stability similar to those performed with commercial citric pectin (CCP), although they differ in particle size distribution and flocculation degree. The presence of CaCl2 reduced the mean size of droplets in fine HSPS emulsions and improved their stability to flocculation and coalescence. Significant differences were observed in the rheological behavior of O/W emulsions and interfaces of HSPS and CCP with respect to the salt addition. Our results indicate that HSPS can be used in the formulation and stabilization of acidic O/W emulsions. Besides, HSPS generates emulsions with different characteristics than those obtained with citric pectins. The use of HSPS provides a suitable alternative in food engineering contributing to the exploitation and valorization of soy hulls, which represents an important waste material in soybean processing.

Recent Advances in the Utilization of Natural Emulsifiers to Form and Stabilize Emulsions

Consumer concern about human and environmental health is encouraging food manufacturers to use more natural and sustainable food ingredients. In particular, there is interest in replacing synthetic ingredients with natural ones, and in replacing animal-based ingredients with plant-based ones. This article provides a review of the various types of natural emulsifiers with potential application in the food industry, including phospholipids, biosurfactants, proteins, polysaccharides, and natural colloidal particles. Increased utilization of natural emulsifiers in food products may lead to a healthier and more sustainable food supply. However, more research is needed to identify, isolate, and characterize new sources of commercially viable natural emulsifiers suitable for food use.

Development and characterization of functional O/W emulsions with chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) by-products

The present work investigated the physicochemical properties of O/W emulsions containing functional ingredients (oil with high ω-3 fatty acid content, protein and/or soluble fiber) from chia seeds. The effect of different protein-carbohydrate combinations (sodium caseinate and lactose, sodium caseinate and maltodextrin, chia protein-rich fraction and maltodextrin) and the presence of chia mucilage (0 and 0.2 % wt/wt) in the aqueous phase of chia O/W emulsions was studied as a function of droplet size distribution, Sauter mean diameter, ζ-potential, rheological properties and backscattering profiles. The use of sodium caseinate in combination with lactose or maltodextrin produced chia O/W emulsions with small droplet size (0.22-0.27 µm), high degree of uniformity in droplet size distribution, negatively charged droplets (at pH 6.5), pseudoplastic behavior and high physical stability. Emulsions with chia protein-rich fraction presented wider droplet size distribution and higher D[3,2] values than the previous ones, recording a Newtonian behavior. The addition of chia mucilage affected the physicochemical properties studied, mainly the rheological characteristics of emulsions.

Natural emulsifiers - Biosurfactants, phospholipids, biopolymers, and colloidal particles: Molecular and physicochemical basis of functional performance

There is increasing consumer pressure for commercial products that are more natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, including foods, cosmetics, detergents, and personal care products. Industry has responded by trying to identify natural alternatives to synthetic functional ingredients within these products. The focus of this review article is on the replacement of synthetic surfactants with natural emulsifiers, such as amphiphilic proteins, polysaccharides, biosurfactants, phospholipids, and bioparticles. In particular, the physicochemical basis of emulsion formation and stabilization by natural emulsifiers is discussed, and the benefits and limitations of different natural emulsifiers are compared. Surface-active polysaccharides typically have to be used at relatively high levels to produce small droplets, but the droplets formed are highly resistant to environmental changes. Conversely, surface-active proteins are typically utilized at low levels, but the droplets formed are highly sensitive to changes in pH, ionic strength, and temperature. Certain phospholipids are capable of producing small oil droplets during homogenization, but again the droplets formed are highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Biosurfactants (saponins) can be utilized at low levels to form fine oil droplets that remain stable over a range of environmental conditions. Some nature-derived nanoparticles (e.g., cellulose, chitosan, and starch) are effective at stabilizing emulsions containing relatively large oil droplets. Future research is encouraged to identify, isolate, purify, and characterize new types of natural emulsifier, and to test their efficacy in food, cosmetic, detergent, personal care, and other products.

Comparative study of emulsifying properties in acidic condition of soluble polysaccharides fractions obtained from soy hull and defatted soy flour

The present study compares the emulsifying properties in acidic conditions of hull soluble polysaccharides (HSPS), soybean soluble polysaccharides (SSPS) and its mixtures. These fractions were obtained from byproducts of soybean processing industry (soy hull and residual fiber after isolation of soy cotyledon protein, respectively). Although SSPS is already characterized, HSPS is a novel fraction which has not been studied in deep and it is still unexplored as emulsifier. Dispersions of both fraction and a mixture 50:50 of them at pH 3.0 were used as aqueous phase (1.0-3.0 % w/w) in coarse and fine oil-in-water emulsions (oil mass fraction = 0.3). Its stability was evaluated through the evolution of backscattering profiles (%BS), particle size distribution and mean particle diameters. The rheology of the emulsions was also analyzed. Both fractions provided stability to creaming when increasing the polysaccharide concentration and energy of homogenization. While coarse emulsions were unstable systems, fine emulsions were stable enough and allowed a deeper analysis of the destabilizing processes. A bridging flocculation phenomenon in the presence of HSPS and HSPS/SSPS mixtures is suggested, which influences the creaming and rheological behavior. Also, coalescence index increases according HSPS and HSPS/SSPS concentrations, but particle sizes reached were smaller than in SSPS emulsions. Fine emulsions with 3 % of HSPS/SSPS mixtures yielded the best results on the overall stability at 28 days. So, functional properties of the fractions may improve by the formulation of emulsions consisting in mixtures of them. These results are of interest to the manufacturing of acidic foods, taking advantage of obtaining byproducts from residual materials.

Formation of oil-in-water emulsions from natural emulsifiers using spontaneous emulsification: sunflower phospholipids

This study examined the possibility of producing oil-in-water emulsions using a natural surfactant (sunflower phospholipids) and a low-energy method (spontaneous emulsification). Spontaneous emulsification was carried out by titrating an organic phase (oil and phospholipid) into an aqueous phase with continuous stirring. The influence of phospholipid composition, surfactant-to-oil ratio (SOR), initial phospholipids location, storage time, phospholipid type, and preparation method was tested. The initial droplet size depended on the nature of the phospholipid used, which was attributed to differences in phospholipid composition. Droplet size decreased with increasing SOR and was smallest when the phospholipid was fully dissolved in the organic phase rather than the aqueous phase. The droplets formed using spontaneous emulsification were relatively large (d > 10 μm), and so the emulsions were unstable to gravitational separation. At low SORs (0.1 and 0.5), emulsions produced with phospholipids had a smaller particle diameter than those produced with a synthetic surfactant (Tween 80), but at a higher SOR (1.0), this trend was reversed. High-energy methods (microfluidization and sonication) formed significantly smaller droplets (d < 10 μm) than spontaneous emulsification. The results from this study show that low-energy methods could be utilized with natural surfactants for applications for which fine droplets are not essential.