Structural characterization of β-carotene-incorporated nanovesicles produced with non-purified phospholipids

Abstract

The technical feasibility of obtaining β-carotene-incorporated phospholipid nanovesicles using non-purified soybean lecithins was studied. For this purpose, three lecithin-types were evaluated. Nanovesicles were characterized by average hydrodynamic diameter, particle size distribution, polydispersity index, ζ-potential, transmission electron microscopy, membrane microviscosity, small angle X-ray scattering and capacity of lipid peroxidation inhibition. In general, the β-carotene incorporation did not promote a significant increase on average hydrodynamic diameter, but vesicles produced from lecithins containing triglycerides showed lower polydispersity. The lecithin-type used to produce nanovesicles did not influence the β-carotene loading capacity, but significantly influenced the microviscosity of liposomal membrane and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity. Non-enzymatically modified lecithin (containing or not triglycerides) showed similar efficiency and peroxidation inhibition capacity considering β-carotene incorporation. Therefore, low-cost non-purified lecithin can be employed for production of liposomal systems as an encapsulating and/or delivery system to be used in food products.