Abstract
For improving solubility and bioaccessibility of phytosterols (PS), phytosterol nanoparticles (PNPs) were prepared by emulsification–evaporation combined high-pressure homogenization method. The organic phase was formed with the dissolved PS and soybean lecithin (SL) in anhydrous ethanol, then mixed with soy protein isolate (SPI) solution, and homogenized into nanoparticles, followed by the evaporation of ethanol. The optimum fabrication conditions were determined as PS (1%, w/v): SL of 1:4, SPI content of 0.75% (w/v), and ethanol volume of 16 ml. PNPs were characterized to have average particle size 93.35 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) 0.179, zeta potential −29.3 mV, and encapsulation efficiency (EE) 97.3%. The impact of temperature, pH, and ionic strength on the stability of fabricated PNPs was determined. After 3-h in vitro digestion, the bioaccessibility of PS in nanoparticles reached 70.8%, significantly higher than the 18.2% of raw PS. Upon freeze-drying, the particle size of PNPs increased to 199.1 nm, resulting in a bimodal distribution. The solubility of PS in water could reach up to 2.122 mg/ml, ~155 times higher than that of raw PS. Therefore, this study contributes to the development of functional PS-food ingredients.
Highlights
Phytosterols (PS), a functional lipid with a cholesterol-like structure, are widely distributed in plants; especially, great amounts of PS originate from oil seeds such as soybean and rapeseed oil [1]
Effect of the Ratio of PS to Soybean Lecithin on the Properties of phytosterol nanoparticles (PNPs) Figure 1 shows the particle size, zeta potential, and EE of PNPs prepared by various PS to soybean lecithin (SL) ratios in 12 ml of ethanol, soy protein isolate (SPI) concentration 1% (w/v), and homogenized at 900 bar for six passes
The PNPs samples were gradually clarified as the SL ratio increased
Summary
Phytosterols (PS), a functional lipid with a cholesterol-like structure, are widely distributed in plants; especially, great amounts of PS originate from oil seeds such as soybean and rapeseed oil [1]. It is recommended that a daily intake of 2 to 3 g PS can effectively reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 5 to 15% [2]. PS are considered as an alternative natural substance for the treatment and prevention of hyperlipidemia [3], showing great potential to serve as an ingredient for functional food supplements. Despite these benefits of PS, the poor solubility in both water and oils and a high melting point easy to crystallize have been challenges for its application. Huge efforts have been made to increase the solubility and dispersibility of PS in water, which can be summarized by chemical and physical methods
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