In vitro gastrointestinal lipid handling and bioaccessibility rate of infant formula with large phospholipid-coated lipid droplets are different from those of standard formula and closer to human milk

Construction of microencapsulated (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) phospholipid-based nanovesicles: Enhancing stability, gastrointestinal resistance and masking bitterness

Phospholipid-based nanovesicles (PBN) are effective in drug delivery and bitterness masking, but they often lack stability, and traditional emulsion microcapsules fail to mask flavors effectively. This study aimed to develop a phospholipid-based nanovesicle microcapsule (PBN-M) with a dual vesicle-shell structure to encapsulate (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), enhancing its stability and bitterness masking. PBN-M was created using an emulsion transfer template method and spray drying. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a 200 nm PBN core with a 40 μm shell. In vitro studies showed that the vesicle-shell structure efficiently released EGCG and minimized degradation in the intestines. Storage tests indicated that interactions between whey protein isolate and gum arabic formed a thicker shell, improving EGCG stability. Sensory evaluations confirmed significant bitterness masking. These results suggest that PBN-M is promising for stable, flavor-masked EGCG delivery, enhancing the functional and sensory qualities of bioactive ingredients.

Sphingomyelin-enriched milk phospholipids offer superior benefits in improving the physicochemical properties, microstructure, and surface characteristics of infant formula

Phospholipids from different sources have varying chemical compositions, but how they contribute to different properties of infant formula is unclear. In this study, four types of phospholipids, milk phospholipids (MPLs), soybean phospholipids (SBPLs), sunflower phospholipids (SFPLs), and egg yolk phospholipids (EYPLs), were added to infant formula to investigate their physicochemical properties, microstructure, and surface characteristics. MPLs uniquely offer high sphingomyelin and saturated fatty acid levels. The MPL-based emulsion had the smallest particle size (334.50 nm), lowest stability constant (0.30), and highest viscosity among all groups tested. Furthermore, the abundance of sphingomyelin in MPLs allowed for a denser interfacial film and the complete phospholipid-coated structure of lipid droplets in infant formula emulsion. This consequently improved the microstructure and fat encapsulation of the powder, leading to significantly lower surface fat content in the MPL group. Therefore, the proper selection of phospholipids is crucial for modulating the stability and surface characteristics of infant formula.

In Vitro Lipid Digestion of Milk Formula with Different Lipid Droplets: A Study on the Gastric Digestion Emulsion Structure and Lipid Release Pattern

In this study, the digestive properties of milk formulas (two concept milk formulas L1 and L2 with D4,3 ∼5 μm and a control milk formula S1 with D4,3 ∼0.5 μm) were evaluated using a dynamic digestion model simulating the infant gastrointestinal tract. The results showed that L1 and L2 had a lower lipolysis degree compared to S1 during gastric digestion and no significant difference at the end of the digestion process. Triacylglycerol lipolysis products were highly related to the lipid sources of milk formulas. At the end of digestion, glycerophospholipids in milk formulas were hydrolyzed to lysophospholipids (∼60-80%), while sphingomyelins were barely hydrolyzed. Concept milk formulas showed a complete spherical structure with a mean size of 3-5 μm during gastric digestion, while the control formula had large aggregates consisting of small lipid droplets. This study reveals that the structure of lipid droplets moderates the gastric digestion emulsion structure and further influences the digestive properties of milk formulas.

Current perspectives on the use of milk fat globule membrane in infant milk formula

Sources of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) are desirable to include in infant milk formula (IMF) to mimic the composition and functionality of human milk MFGM. MFGM in its natural form consists of a trilayer structure containing lipids (e.g., cholesterol, phospholipids, gangliosides, ceramides), proteins (e.g., butyrophilin, xanthine oxidase, mucin-1, adipophilin) and glycans (e.g., sialic acid). Components of MFGM have been associated with various biological benefit areas including intestinal, neurocognitive, and immune health. There are many aspects to consider when supplementing IMF with MFGM ingredients, of which the major ones are highlighted and critiqued in this review from an industrial research perspective. Features include compositional unknowns, discussion on how best to incorporate MFGM to IMF, analytical method needs, biological function unknowns, and considerations on how best to communicate MFGM in different contexts. It is hoped that by identifying the key scientific gaps outstanding in this subject area, collective efforts can proceed to ensure the potential impact of MFGM on infant health is realized.