Preparation and analysis of selenium-enriched oleogels: Preliminary evaluation of antioxidant activity and inhibition of fatty acids release

Abstract

Selenium is a trace element that is crucial for maintaining human health. Supplementing selenium through safe and effective dietary methods can effectively reduce diseases caused by selenium deficiency. The purpose of this experiment is to develop a convenient and effective selenium supplement suitable for adding oily foods. Selenium polysaccharides, Tween-80 and pectin were used to prepare W/O emulsion, and then the selenium-enriched oleogels were obtained by freeze-drying. The results showed that as the pectin content increased, the particle size of the emulsion gradually decreased, whereas the oil-binding capacity of the oleogels gradually increased, the viscosity and elasticity had an increasing trend. The preparation parameters of oleogels were optimized: The optimal preparation parameters of oleogels were 6:4 for volume ratio of oil/water, 6.5% of Tween-80, and 2% of pectin. The selenium-enriched oleogels showed a strong DPPH scavenging ability (96%). Additionally, Camellia oleifera oil added with selenium-enriched oleogels demonstrated that the selenium-enriched oleogels inhibited the amount of fatty acids released of the oil during in vitro digestion, whereas increased the relative amount of unsaturated fatty acids. This study provides an effective method for the production of novel oil-based supplements and facilitates the digestion of unsaturated fatty acids.