Photo-polymerizable ferrous sulfate liposomes as vehicles for iron fortification of food

Abstract

The development of photo-polymerizable ferrous sulfate liposomes has been perused for iron fortification of food. Iron fortification is accompanied by several limitations that reduce its quality as it provokes sensory problems due to the oxidation of Fe2+ into Fe3+. To overcome such undesirable effects and improve the bioavailability of iron, photo-polymerizable 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DC8,9PC) phospholipids have been employed as iron delivery system. DC8,9PC possesses diacetylene groups that undergo intramolecular cross-linking following UV treatment, resulting in enhanced stability, high encapsulation efficiency (~91%) without inducing sensory changes during milk fortification, along with less oxidation and con-tent leakage after long term storage in ethanol. Furthermore, polymeric Fe-DC8,9PC liposomes present high in vivo iron bioavailability in hemoglobin (Hb)-repletion study in rats, with no indications of toxicity examined by hematoxylin–eosin test. This methodology offers great promise for a simple, reliable, cost-effective, and robust platform for treating iron deficiency anemia, seeking to bring its application toward market.