The stability and gastro-intestinal digestion of curcumin emulsion stabilized with soybean oil bodies

Abstract

The study aimed at stabilizing the curcumin emulsions (CEs) using the soybean seed oil bodies (SSOBs) and investigated the gastrointestinal digestion of the CEs. The particle size decreased (P < 0.05) with the increasing concentration of SSOBs from 1.0 wt% to 5.0 wt%. The CEs stabilized with the SSOBs exhibited excellent stability at pH 2.0 and 6.0–10.0. The CEs were stable against the aggregation at 100–500 mmol/L NaCl concentration and elevated temperature. The droplet size analysis and confocal laser scanning microscope observation results indicated that the fat droplets aggregated in the CEs under the gastric conditions at 30 min and afterward it gradually dispersed. Under the simulated intestinal condition, the droplet size of the CEs significantly decreased compared to the simulated gastric conditions (P < 0.05). The release rate of curcumin continuously increased during 180 min digestion under the intestinal conditions. Therefore, SSOBs could be used as the natural emulsifiers and novel carriers in delivering the lipophilic bioactive compounds.