Health-promoting effects of curcumin are well-known; however, curcumin has a very low bioavailability due to its crystalline structure. The main objective of this study was to develop a novel green ...nanoparticle formation method to generate low-crystallinity curcumin nanoparticles to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin. Nanoporous starch aerogels (NSAs) (surface area of 60 m
/g, pore size of 20 nm, density of 0.11 g/cm
, and porosity of 93%) were employed as a mold to produce curcumin nanoparticles with the help of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO
). The average particle size of the curcumin nanoparticles was 66 nm. Impregnation into NSAs decreased the crystallinity of curcumin and did not create any chemical bonding between curcumin nanoparticles and the NSA matrix. The highest impregnation capacity was 224.2 mg curcumin/g NSA. Curcumin nanoparticles significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of curcumin by 173-fold when compared to the original curcumin. The concentration of curcumin in the bioaccessible fraction was improved from 0.003 to 0.125 mg/mL by impregnation of curcumin into NSAs (42-fold). This is a novel approach to produce food grade curcumin nanoparticles with reduced crystallinity and maximize the utilization of curcumin due to increased bioaccessibility.
•Biodegradable nanoporous aerogels were obtained from wheat starch using SC-CO2 drying.•The highest surface area of the wheat starch aerogels was 59.7m2/g.•Average pore size of the wheat starch ...aerogels was 20nm.•Densities of the wheat starch aerogels ranged between 0.05–0.29g/cm3.•Wheat starch aerogels were stable up to 280°C.
Biodegradable nanoporous aerogels were obtained from wheat starch using a simple and green method based on supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) drying. Effects of processing parameters (temperature, wheat starch concentration and mixing rate during gelatinization; temperature, pressure, and flow rate of CO2, during SC-CO2 drying) on the aerogel formation were investigated, and optimized for the highest surface area and smallest pore size of the aerogels. At the optimized conditions, wheat starch aerogels had surface areas between 52.6–59.7m2/g and densities ranging between 0.05–0.29g/cm3. The average pore size of the starch aerogels was 20nm. Starch aerogels were stable up to 280°C. Due to high surface area and nanoporous structure, wheat starch aerogels are promising carrier systems for bioactives and drugs in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Crystalline structure of phytosterols leads to poor bioavailability and makes their incorporation into foods challenging. Bioaccessibility of first-of-their-kind low-crystallinity phytosterol ...nanoparticles impregnated in nanoporous starch aerogels (PS-NSA) was evaluated in non-, low-, and regular-fat solid and aqueous food formulations, namely, granola bars and puddings for the first time. Bioaccessibility of the phytosterol nanoparticles was significantly higher than that of crude phytosterols in all food formulations (p < .05); it was 88.2 and 91.8% for low- or regular-fat granola bars, respectively, whereas bioaccessibility of crude phytosterols was ca. 30% in those formulations. However, decreasing the lipid content to zero resulted in lower phytosterols' bioaccessibilities from both PS-NSA (53%) and crude phytosterols (ca. 16%) in non-fat granola bars. Bioaccessibility of crude phytosterols (2%) was significantly enhanced with PS-NSA (19%) in the pudding formulation. PS-NSA allows preparation of low- and non-fat foods enriched with phytosterols while enhancing the health benefits of phytosterols with smaller doses.
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•Low-crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles (PS-NSA) were formed.•PS-NSA increased bioaccessibility of phytosterols in granola bars and puddings.•Decreasing lipid content of granola bars decreased bioaccessibility of phytosterols.•PS-NSA increased bioaccessibility of phytosterols from 16 to 53% in non-fat bars.
A green approach based on simultaneous starch aerogel formation-curcumin impregnation via supercritical fluid technology was used to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. The loading amounts of ...curcumin were 16.4, 21.4, and 24.9 mg/g of aerogel for the 25% Amyl-loaded, 55% Amyl-loaded, and 72% Amyl-loaded samples, respectively. Curcumin-loaded aerogels showed the eventual distribution of curcumin in the hydrophobic area of the internal structure of the aerogels. In vitro gastrointestinal release profiles demonstrated the enhanced curcumin release from the curcumin-loaded aerogel formulations produced by the SC-CO2 technology over free curcumin. After intestinal digestion, the percentage of released curcumin from 25% Amyl-loaded, 55% Amyl-loaded, and 72% Amyl-loaded was 7.2, 12.1, and 12.1%, respectively, while the release of native curcumin was only 0.5%. Caco-2 cell permeation studies revealed superior bioavailability of curcumin from the curcumin-loaded aerogels. Curcumin-loaded aerogels exhibited improved storage stability than free curcumin.
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•A simultaneous starch aerogel formation-curcumin particle formation was developed.•Aerogels from high amylose starch showed superior porosity and curcumin loading capacity.•Curcumin particles impregnated in starch aerogels had superior bioavailability compared to free curcumin.•Aerogels from high amylose starch had greater curcumin release compared to low amylose starch.
Phytosterols are known for promoting human health and wellness; however, their water-insolubility limits their bioaccessibility and consequently bioavailability. In this study, a novel method based ...on supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) impregnation of phytosterols into nanoporous starch aerogels (NSAs) was optimized to form phytosterol nanoparticles with reduced crystallinity in order to improve their bioaccessibility. Impregnation conditions, namely temperature and cooling rates, were optimized for the highest impregnation capacity, smallest particle size, and improved phytosterol distribution. The highest impregnation capacity was 99 mg phytosterol/g NSA, and the size of the impregnated phytosterols ranged between 59 and 87 nm. More isolated phytosterol nanoparticles were generated via fast cooling which drastically decreased the solubility of phytosterols in SC-CO2. The crystallinity of the impregnated phytosterols was reduced compared to the original phytosterol. The proposed method is a novel method to generate food grade phytosterol nanoparticles with reduced crystallinity which improves the water solubility.
•Phytosterol nanoparticles (59–87 nm) were produced using nanoporous starch aerogel.•Fast cooling resulted in more isolated phytosterol nanoparticles.•Crystallinity of the phytosterols was decreased by SC-CO2 impregnation.•The highest impregnation capacity was 99 mg phytosterol/g aerogel.
•Sorghum waxes showed good gelation properties for fish oil oleogels.•Fast cooling and ultrasonic treatment reduced the crystal size.•Fast cooling and ultrasound favored the oil-gelling capacity and ...reduced oil loss.•Sorghum wax oleogels increased the oxidative stability of fish oil.
Inspired by the potential opportunities offered by sorghum as a natural wax source, the objective of this study was to investigate for the first time the potential of three types of sorghum waxes, namely, sorghum bran wax (SBW), sorghum DDGS wax (SDW), and sorghum kernel wax (SKW), as an oleogelator. All the three sorghum waxes showed good gelation properties with minor differences. Fast cooling rate and ultrasonic treatment favored the oil-gelling capacity and reduced oil loss by reducing the crystal size. All sorghum wax oleogels exhibited two common x-ray diffraction peaks around d-value of 0.415 nm and 0.374 nm, suggesting the evidence of a hexagonal symmetry and β’ crystals. Faster cooling rate resulted in an earlier onset of crystallization and ultrasonic treatment narrowed the melting range. Oxidation of fish oil in the sorghum wax oleogels were delayed considerably compared to free fish oil, while SDW generated the most stable oleogels.
The high porosity and specific surface area of aerogels offer an ideal platform for loading bioactive molecules. In the present study, the microstructure of the bio-based starch aerogels was ...modulated by the incorporation of chitosan. The starch hydrogel precursors were prepared from high amylose corn starch in the presence of 0, 0.50, and 0.75 wt% chitosan. Afterward, a green single-step simultaneous aerogel formation-curcumin deposition method was applied to impregnate curcumin into the aerogels through supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) drying technology. Composite starch/chitosan aerogels showed a more open porous structure and lighter weight than the neat starch counterpart. Confocal microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis confirmed curcumin molecules' attachment to the aerogels' hydrophobic cavities. The impregnation capacity was 24–27 mg curcumin per gram of aerogel depending on the composition of the aerogels. The loading of curcumin in the aerogels significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of curcumin in the simulated gastrointestinal fluid by almost 30-fold when compared to the unloaded curcumin. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of the curcumin loaded in starch-chitosan composite aerogels was higher than that in neat starch aerogels. While unloaded curcumin showed an undetectable intestinal Caco-2 cell transportation, curcumin-loaded aerogels revealed a cumulative curcumin passing of 0.15–0.23 μg/mL.
•The microstructure of the starch bioaerogels was modulated using chitosan.•A green simultaneous aerogel formation-curcumin particle formation method was developed.•Bioavailability of curcumin in starch aerogels increased drastically in Caco-2 cells.•Bioavailability of curcumin in starch-chitosan composite aerogels was higher than that of neat starch aerogel.
Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of lycopene from tomato processing byproducts, namely, tomato peel and seed, was mathematically modeled. Mathematical modeling of the SC-CO2 ...extraction data was implemented using the mass conservation law that resulted in two partial differential equations for solvent and solid phases. The model was then employed to investigate the effects of temperature (40–80 °C), pressure (30–50 MPa), and peel to seeds ratio (30/70 to 70/30) on the lycopene yield. The maximum lycopene yield of 1.32 mg/kg of raw material was obtained at 80 °C, 50 MPa, and peel/seeds ratio of 70/30. The lycopene yield had a direct relationship with external mass transfer coefficient, but inverse relationship with the partition coefficient of the solute between the solid and the fluid phase and particle diameter; however, the amount of oleoresin was only a function of the initial mass fraction of extractable solute in the solid phase and mass of feed.
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•SC-CO2 extraction of lycopene was modeled using the mass conservation law.•Maximum lycopene yield was obtained at 80 °C, 50 MPa, and 70/30 peel/seeds ratio.•Lycopene yield had a direct relationship with external mass transfer coefficient.•Lycopene yield had an inverse relationship with the partition coefficient of the solute between the solid and the fluid phase and particle diameter.
This study reports the in vitro digestibility of starch aerogels for the first time. The relative crystallinities of the wheat starch aerogels (WSAs) produced at gelatinization temperatures of 120 °C ...(WSA-120C), 130 °C (WSA-130C), and 120 °C with the addition of sodium metaphosphate (STMP) (WSA-STMP) and xerogel were similar. However, WSA-120C showed the highest amylose–lipid complex content. The addition of STMP created some cross-linked starch with a phosphorus content of 0.023%. Resistant starch (RS) contents of WSA-STMP (33.5%) and xerogel (26.9%) were higher than the other samples when they were uncooked prior to digestion. Nevertheless, the RS contents of WSA-STMP and xerogel decreased drastically with cooking. RS contents of WSA-120C and WSA-130C were stable with cooking and provided 4.5- and 3.0-fold increases in the RS content, respectively. WSA is a promising functional food ingredient with a high RS content, even after cooking.
“Natural” lycopene is expensive and can be obtained from tomatoes; therefore, commercial lycopene is mostly obtained from chemical synthesis. Tomato processing byproducts represent a low-cost source ...of high-value lycopene. Cis-lycopene is more bioavailable than trans-lycopene; however, 95% of the lycopene in tomato is in all-trans form. The objective of this study was to obtain a cis-lycopene-rich oleoresin from tomato peels and seeds using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) and to compare it with the conventional hexane extraction. The highest oleoresin yield (246 g/kg) was obtained from 100% seeds; with SC-CO2 extraction at lower temperature (40 °C) and higher pressure (50 MPa), whereas the highest cis-lycopene content was obtained at higher temperature (80 °C) and lower pressure (30 MPa) from 100% peels. SC-CO2-extracted oleoresins contained up to 67% of cis-lycopene, whereas it was only 34% in the hexane-extracted ones. When the oleoresin was centrifuged, the upper oil fraction (supernatant) contained up to 82% of cis-lycopene. SC-CO2 can enhance the efficacy of lycopene during extraction stage in a simple and clean way.
•Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) yields cis-lycopene-rich oleoresin.•Hexane yields trans-lycopene-rich oleoresin.•Higher cis-lycopene is obtained at lower SC-CO2 pressure.•After centrifugation, cis-lycopene was higher in the upper oil fraction than in the pellet.