Issue 8, 2017

Enhancement of the solubility and antioxidant capacity of α-linolenic acid using an oil in water microemulsion

Abstract

The applications of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in the food industry are restricted due to its poor water solubility and antioxidant stability. This study concentrates on developing an ALA-loaded microemulsion (ALA-ME) to enhance its solubility and antioxidant capacity. The formulation of the microemulsion was investigated based on pseudoternary phase diagrams. The ALA-ME was characterized by using electrical conductivity, viscosity and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The microstructure of the ALA-ME was probed using nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). The results proved that ALA-ME consisted of spheroidal droplets with 20–40 nm diameter. A structural transformation from water in oil (W/O) to oil in water (O/W) occurred, as seen from the electrical conductivity determination. The 1H-NMR results revealed a transition of the ALA position encapsulated from the core area of the microemulsion to the lipophilic layer of the surfactant. Furthermore, two microstructural models of ALA-ME were proposed. The antioxidant evaluation demonstrated that the ALA antioxidant capacity in microemulsions was enhanced to about 80% compared with that of ALA in oil solution.

Graphical abstract: Enhancement of the solubility and antioxidant capacity of α-linolenic acid using an oil in water microemulsion

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 May 2017
Accepted
24 Jun 2017
First published
13 Jul 2017

Food Funct., 2017,8, 2792-2802

Enhancement of the solubility and antioxidant capacity of α-linolenic acid using an oil in water microemulsion

B. Chen, M. Hou, B. Zhang, T. Liu, Y. Guo, L. Dang and Z. Wang, Food Funct., 2017, 8, 2792 DOI: 10.1039/C7FO00663B

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