Project Details
Description
There are many biologically-active, lipophilic ingredients (BLI) added to foods that are both chemically labile and expensive (e.g., oil-soluble vitamins, flavors, colors, phytochemicals). Although present in small quantities, these ingredients are essential to the perceived sensory and nutritional quality of the food. To prevent their degradation during manufacture and storage and ensure their bioavailability after consumption they are often encapsulated, frequently in liquid oil emulsions. Similar challenges exist for certain drugs and the pharmaceutical industry has recently developed alternative delivery systems, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN, fine droplets of crystalline lipid), that offer significant advantages in certain applications. In the present work we will adapt the technology from pharmaceutical science to foods and manufacture emulsion-based delivery systems varying in droplet size (micro-scale and nano-scale) and lipid crystallinity (liquid, alpha-polymorph, and beta-polymorphs). We will characterize the structure of the particles by light scattering, calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy and the distribution of the solute molecules by electron paramagnetic resonance. We will load the particles with model BLI (beta-carotene and limonene) and compare their chemical stability and functionality. Finally we will apply our findings in real foods (a salad dressing and a carbonated beverage). This project addresses the fundamental relationship between the structure of lipid droplets (i.e., droplet size and lipid crystallinity) and their functionality as a delivery system in foods. Our fundamental findings will be immediately applied to the enrichment of real foods, allowing rapid translation into the industry.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 9/1/09 → 8/31/13 |
Funding
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture: $449,367.00