Palmitic acid at high concentration modifies the nanoscale structure of anhydrous milk fat.

We performed a nanoscale study based on X-ray scattering to understand the impact of a promotor of crystallization, palmitic acid (PA), at high concentration, on the networks of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Melted blends containing 10 wt% PA were quenched at 25 °C. X-ray scattering data were compared with those obtained for pure AMF, pure PA, and AMF containing 1 wt% PA. While PA at low concentration did not modify the nanostructure of TAG crystals (direct crystallization in the ß'-2L form), a high concentration of this promotor favored the formation of polymorphic forms suggesting that PA first crystallizes and then directs crystallization of AMF TAGs towards α and ß forms.

Isothermal crystallization of anhydrous milk fat in presence of free fatty acids and their esters: From nanostructure to textural properties.

We performed a multiscale study to understand the impact of pure exogenous compounds at low concentration on the crystallization of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in anhydrous milk fat (AMF). We selected butyric acid, an inhibitor of crystallization, and palmitic acid, a promotor, to investigate the influence of the chain length. Tripalmitin was also used as a promotor to assess the impact of fatty acid esterification. Melted blends containing the additives (1 wt%) were quenched at 25 °C. X-ray scattering data showed that AMF TAGs crystallized directly in the ß'-2L form. The presence of additives did not modify the nanostructure of TAG crystals. However, they significantly altered the microstructure of AMF, as revealed by polarized light microscopy and rheology. This study emphasizes the interest of a multiscale approach to gain knowledge about the behavior of complex fat blends and of the use of modulators at low concentration to monitor their textural properties.

Crystallization of emulsified anhydrous milk fat: The role of confinement and of minor compounds. A DSC study.

We examined the crystallization and melting of anhydrous milk fat (AMF)-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium caseinate. Various additives at low concentrations (<5 wt%), differing in their hydrocarbon chain length (propionic vs. palmitic acid), unsaturation (palmitic vs. oleic acid), and esterification state (palmitic acid vs. tripalmitin) were used to modulate AMF crystallization kinetics. Three emulsions with different average droplet diameters were cooled down from 60 °C to 4 °C. Fat crystallization was followed by DSC under dynamic (cooling) and static (isothermal) conditions. Propionic acid did not have any noticeable effect. Oleic acid favored supercooling and the formation of unstable polymorphs at short times but its impact faded after 48 h of isothermal storage. The impact of palmitic acid was related to its amphiphilic properties and vanished after 48 h. Tripalmitin influenced crystallization via volume effects that were persistent. It formed mixed crystals which extended the melting range of AMF.

Improvement of the oxidative stability of camelina oil by enrichment with phospholipid-quercetin formulations.

Camelina oil (Coil) contains 50-60% of polyunsaturated fatty acids which are susceptible to oxidation. In this work, addition of phospholipids (0-20 mg/g) was assessed to improve the solubility of quercetin in Coil and enhance its oxidative stability. Results showed that the solubility of quercetin in Coil increased up to 7.7-fold by phospholipid addition. The solubility of quercetin in Coil was correlated to the phospholipid concentration and reached a maximum value of 1 298 µg/g. The addition of phospholipid-quercetin formulations increased the Coil stability, measured at 60 °C, from 24 h up to 115 h. Coil saturated with only quercetin (168 µg/g) did not significantly increase Coil stability, whereas phospholipids alone extended the oxidation lag time up to 40 h. This work successfully developed a solvent-free method for improving the solubility of quercetin in Coil and enhance its oxidative stability.

Intestinal bioavailability of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids influenced by the supramolecular form of phospholipids.

The aim of this work was to study the bioavailability of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), i.e. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), carried by marine phospholipids (PL) and formulated in different supramolecular forms. Marine PL were administrated in rats either (1) in bulk form, or (2) as an oil-in-water emulsion, or (3) as liposomes. Each dietary formulation was characterized by a similar fatty acid (FA) profile and provided the same n-3 LC-PUFA amount. Intestinal bioavailability of n-3 LC-PUFA was monitored in the lymph compartment in a duct fistula model. On the one hand, the emulsification of plant oils with PL increased the overall intestinal absorption of dietary FA by 84% without affecting the lymph FA profile compared with the bulk form, suggesting that emulsification favoured the absorption of the total dietary FA derived from both triglycerides (TG) and PL. On the other hand, the liposome form did not modify the lymph lipid amount compared with the bulk form, but specifically increased the n-3 LC-PUFA levels. The dietary forms of PL influenced the position of some FA on the glycerol backbone of lymph TG and PL. In conclusion, using marine PL as an emulsifier promoted total FA absorption independently of the dietary lipid carrier (TG or PL) and the FA type. Structuring PL as liposomes specifically increased the intestinal bioavailability of FA esterifed in this lipid class, such as DHA, resulting in a higher incorporation into lymph lipids. Thus, using specific PL supramolecular forms would guide n-3 LC-PUFA towards total lipid absorption or specific FA absorption, according to the dietary needs.

In vitro lipolysis and lymphatic absorption of n-3 long-chain PUFA in the rat: influence of the molecular lipid species as carrier.

The aim of this work was to study the bioavailability of fatty acids (FA), focusing on n-3 long-chain (LC) PUFA, carried by different molecular lipid species, that is, phospholipids (PL) or TAG, with three formulations based on fish oils or marine PL, providing a similar n-3 LC PUFA amount. The digestive lipolysis was first assessed using an in vitro enzymatic model. Then, intestinal absorption and enterocyte metabolism were investigated in vivo, on male Wistar rats through lymph lipid analysis. The in vitro results showed that the release of n-3 LC PUFA from lipolysis was increased by 48 % when FA were provided as PL rather than TAG. The in vivo results demonstrated that EPA and DHA from both TAG and PL were similarly absorbed and incorporated into lymph lipids. However, DHA was mainly distributed at the sn-1/3 positions of lymph TAG when provided as marine PL, whereas it was equally distributed at the three positions with marine TAG. On the whole, even if the molecular lipid species of n-3 LC PUFA did not greatly modify the in vivo digestion and absorption steps, it modulated the rearrangement of DHA on the glyceride positions of the lymph TAG, which may further impact the DHA metabolic fate and tissue accretion. Consequently, the present study has provided data which may be used to formulate lipid diets rich in DHA in the context of an insufficient consumption of n-3 PUFA in Western countries.

Interaction of oil bodies proteins with phospholipid bilayers: A molecular level elucidation as revealed by infrared spectroscopy.

It is crucial to develop new natural sources of emulsifiers to substitute the synthetic molecules. An ideal emulsifying system exists in plants that is consisting of oil bodies proteins and phospholipids. In this study, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the interactions between oil bodies proteins (OBP) and model phospholipid (PL) membranes. The secondary structure and PL thermotropism were investigated. Different PL varying in chain length and polar head were used including two zwitterionic phospholipids, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, and two anionic phospholipids, dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol, dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol. The changes in lipid physical state and protein denaturation were investigated as a function of temperature from 20 to 80 °C. OBP in solution is composed of unordered structures and ß-sheets with signs of aggregation. Anionic PL interacts with OBP whereas zwitterionic PL does not or only slightly interacts with the protein. Unsaturated PL promoted the α-helix structure in OBP. The interactions between OBP and PL depended on the protein charge inducing different protein conformations. Overall, the study showed that OBP and commercial anionic phospholipids have a potential in developing stable emulsifier for food industry.

A critical assessment of transmethylation procedures for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid quantification of lipid classes.

Lipid transmethylation methods described in the literature are not always evaluated with care so to insure that the methods are effective, especially on food matrix or biological samples containing polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). The aim of the present study was to select a method suitable for all lipid species rich in long chain n-3 PUFA. Three published methods were adapted and applied on individual lipid classes. Lipid (trans)methylation efficiency was characterized in terms of reaction yield and gas chromatography (GC) analysis. The acid-catalyzed method was unable to convert triglycerides and sterol esters, while the method using an incubation at a moderate temperature was ineffective on phospholipids and sterol esters. On the whole only the method using sodium methoxide and sulfuric acid was effective on lipid classes taken individually or in a complex medium. This study highlighted the use of an appropriate (trans)methylation method for insuring an accurate fatty acid composition.

Direct technique for monitoring lipid oxidation in water-in-oil emulsions based on micro-calorimetry.

An experimental device based on the measurement of the heat flux dissipated during chemical reactions, previously validated for monitoring lipid oxidation in plant oils, was extended to follow lipid oxidation in water-in-oil emulsions. Firstly, validation of the approach was performed by correlating conjugated diene concentrations measured by spectrophotometry and the heat flux dissipated by oxidation reactions and measured directly in water-in-oil emulsions, in isothermal conditions at 60°C. Secondly, several emulsions based on plant oils differing in their n-3 fatty acid content were compared. The oxidability parameter derived from the enthalpy curves reflected the α-linolenic acid proportion in the oils. On the whole, the micro-calorimetry technique provides a sensitive method to assess lipid oxidation in water-in-oil emulsions without requiring any phase extraction.

Free fatty acids and their esters modulate isothermal crystallization of anhydrous milk fat.

The effect of free fatty acids with different chain lengths or unsaturation degree on anhydrous milk fat (AMF) crystallization was evaluated. The impact of esterification was also studied using three triglycerides. Melted blends containing the additives at concentrations lower than 12wt.% were quenched at 25°C and isothermal crystallization was monitored by pulsed low-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance. In parallel, polarized light microscopy was used to observe the microstructure. Compounds based on long chain saturated fatty acids, i.e. palmitic, stearic, eicosanoic acids, tripalmitin and tristearin accelerated crystallization. Conversely, propanoic, hexanoic and oleic acids slowed down the process, while triacetin had no impact. Interestingly, above a critical concentration, the addition of palmitic, stearic or eicosanoic acids caused a transition from a one-step to two-step process. Gompertz model was used to fit the experimental data and to assess the influence of the molecular properties of the additives on the kinetic parameters.

Influence of formulation on the oxidative stability of water-in-oil emulsions.

The oxidation of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions was investigated, emphasizing the impact of compositional parameters. The emulsions had approximately the same average droplet size and did not show any physical destabilization throughout the study. In the absence of pro-oxidant ions in the aqueous phase, lipid oxidation of the W/O emulsions was moderate at 60°C and was in the same range as that measured for the neat oils. Oxidation was significantly promoted by iron encapsulation in the aqueous phase, even at 25°C. However, iron chelation reduced the oxidation rate. Emulsions based on triglycerides rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids were more prone to oxidation, whether the aqueous phase encapsulated iron or not. The emulsions were stabilized by high- and low-molecular weight surfactants. Increased relative fractions of high molecular weight components reduced the oxidation rate when iron was present.

Characterization of lipid oxidation in plant oils by micro-calorimetry.

A new experimental device was developed, based on the measurement of the heat flux dissipated during chemical reactions. The technique was exploited for real time monitoring of lipid oxidation in plant oils. The thermopiles were used in adiabatic configuration in order to measure the entire heat flux and improve sensitivity. Measurements were operated with a resolution of few µW as required to follow low exothermic reactions like oxidation. The validation of the device was performed by correlating conjugated diene concentrations measured by spectrophotometry and the heat flux dissipated by oxidation reactions. Our experimental approach involved several plant oils analyzed in isothermal conditions. This novel technique provides a versatile, sensitive, solvent-free and yet low-cost method to assess lipid oxidation stability, particularly suitable for the fast screening of plant oils.

Modulation of enzymatic PS synthesis by liposome membrane composition.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid known to exert important physiological roles in humans. However, this phospholipid (PL) is poorly available as a natural source and hardly produced by the chemical route. In this work, PS was obtained by transphosphatidylation using phospholipase D (PLD) and PL self-assembled into liposomes as the substrates. The aim was to better understand how the liposome membrane composition could modulate PS yield. Three lecithins were used as PL substrates, one originated from a marine source providing a high amount of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and two issued from soya differing in their phosphatidylcholine (PC) content. Different parameters such as Ca(2+) content, enzyme and L-serine concentrations modulated PS synthesis. The presence of Ca(2+) increased PS conversion yield. The alcohol acceptor (L-serine) concentration positively acted on PL conversion, by governing the equilibrium between transphosphatidylation and hydrolysis. Beside these specific reaction conditions, it was demonstrated that the membrane composition of the liposomes modulated PS synthesis. A direct correlation between PS accumulation and the amount of cholesterol or α-tocopherol incorporated into the soya lecithins was observed. This result was interpreted in terms of "head" spacers promoting PLD transphosphatidylation. On the whole, this work provided key parameters for the formulation of liposomes using enzymatic PLD technology, to produce lecithins enriched in different proportions of PS and esterified with various types of fatty acids depending on the initial lecithin source.

Enzymatic synthesis of phosphatidylserine using bile salt mixed micelles.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 series was obtained by enzymatic synthesis with phospholipase D (PLD) and a marine lipid extract as substrate. Synthesis was performed using mixed micelles composed of either sodium deoxycholate (SDC) or sodium cholate (SC). To limit the use of surfactant and to monitor the performance of PLD, the mixed micelles were characterized both in terms of bile salt/lipid molar ratio in the aggregates and of mean diameter. A fractional factorial experiment was selected to study the effect of pH, temperature, enzyme, L-serine concentrations, bile salt/lipid molar ratio and Ca(2+) content (in the case of SC only) on PS synthesis. The amount of L-serine was the main factor governing the equilibrium between transphosphatidylation and hydrolysis reaction. Increasing the bile salt/lipid molar ratio decreased PS synthesis yield. In contrast, pH (6.5-8) and temperature (35-45°C) did not affect PLD activity in the tested conditions. This statistical approach allowed determining a combination of parameters (pH, temperature, bile salt/lipid molar ratio, enzyme and alcohol acceptor concentrations) for PS synthesis. After 24 h, the transphosphatidylation reaction led to 57±2% and 56±3% of PS in the phospholipid mixtures with SDC and SC, respectively. In both cases, about 10% of phosphatidic acid was present as a side-product. On the whole, this work provided fundamental basis for a possible development of enzymatic PLD technology using food-grade emulsifiers to produce PS complying with industrial constraints for nutritional applications.

Coupling in vitro gastrointestinal lipolysis and Caco-2 cell cultures for testing the absorption of different food emulsions.

There is a growing interest in the optimization of dietary emulsions for monitoring postprandial lipid metabolism in the frame of preventing metabolic diseases. Using various emulsions, we investigated in a systematic scheme the combination of (i) in vitro gastrointestinal lipolysis and (ii) absorption and metabolism of lipolysis media in Caco-2 cells. Four emulsions based on either milk fat olein (OL) or rapeseed oil (RA) as the dispersed phase and either lecithin (LE) or sodium caseinate (CA) as the emulsifier were tested. After a sequential incubation of these emulsions with gastric and pancreatic enzymes, lipolysis media were incubated with Caco-2 cells, after dilution (1 : 20) to maintain the barrier integrity. Both gastric and duodenal lipolysis levels were similar to values reported in vivo and the rates of lipolysis were higher with LE-stabilized emulsions than with CA-stabilized emulsions (P < 0.05). TAG secretion by Caco-2 cells was found to be higher using (i) duodenal vs. gastric media (P < 0.001) and (ii) emulsions stabilized with CA vs. LE (P < 0.01). Consistently, gene expression of both FABP2 and FATP4 induced by the duodenal media was (i) higher than that with gastric media (P < 0.001) and (ii) faster than that with model mixed micelles. Using gastric media, TAG secretion of Caco-2 cells after 12 h was higher with RA than with OL (P < 0.001). Moreover, the RA-CA emulsion increased the size of secreted lipoprotein particles (514 nm vs. 61 to 130 nm; P < 0.01). In conclusion, it was possible to observe distinct responses in the lipid metabolism of Caco-2 cells incubated with lipolysis media obtained from different dietary emulsions digested by gastrointestinal lipases in vitro.

The fraction of α-linolenic acid present in the sn-2 position of structured triacylglycerols decreases in lymph chylomicrons and plasma triacylglycerols during the course of lipid absorption in rats.

Little is known about the ability of α-linolenic acid (Ln) to remain in the sn-2 position of TG during the absorption process. The goal of this study was to determine the Ln distribution in the lymph (Study 1) and plasma (Study 2) TG of rats fed a single i.g. load of structured TG [300 mg/rat of either oleic acid (O)/Ln/O TG (OLnO) or Ln/O/O TG (LnOO), n = 7 rats]. In an early fraction (3-4 h) of lymph (OLnO group; 100% Ln in the sn-2 position), 46 ± 2% Ln was maintained in this position in lymph TG. There was even less (29 ± 6%) in the last fraction (7-24 h) (P < 0.05). Ln was also found (9 ± 3%) in the sn-2 position of lymph TG in the LnOO group. The Ln content in lymph phospholipids was twice as high in rats when they were fed LnOO (4.2 ± 0.1%) than OLnO (2.3 ± 0.2%) (P < 0.005). Six hours postprandially (Study 2), 21 ± 3% of the Ln incorporated into plasma TG was located in the sn-2 position in the OLnO group compared to 13 ± 2% in the LnOO group (P < 0.001). Overall, these results indicate that the amount of Ln that moved from the sn-2 position of structured TG to the sn-1(3) position of lymph TG increased during absorption. This may account for a substantial hydrolysis of the 2-monolinolenylglycerols in enterocytes, leading to the intramolecular redistribution of Ln in lymph TG and, consequently, in plasma TG.

Vitamin A and lipid metabolism: relationship between hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and adipocytes.

Vitamin A or retinol plays a major role in the regulation of cellular homeostasis. Retinyl palmitate remains the main chemical form of vitamin A storage and is mainly located in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in lipid droplets resembling those found in adipose cells. White adipose tissue (WAT), is essentially involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, through its role in lipid storage, and might also be considered as a vitamin A storage and metabolism site. WAT contains all the intracellular equipment for vitamin A metabolism and signaling pathways which allows retinol to be metabolized into retinoic acid, known to control genomic expression in WAT. The description of molecular mechanisms involved in the activation of HSCs and the differentiation of preadipocytes reveal similar cellular and molecular mechanisms. Indeed HSCs and adipocytes share a common expression of key transcription factors like PPAR-γ and RXR known to influence perilipin expression, which play fundamental roles in lipid droplet metabolism. Both cells are also sources of important endocrine signaling secretions influencing the expression of these transcription factors. The morphological and functional characteristics of HSCs and adipocytes, including the metabolism of vitamin A and other lipids and their related signaling pathways, are summarized and compared in this review. We highlight the complexity of the interrelationship between lipids and vitamin A metabolism and the role of the complex communication existing between HSCs and WAT in diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.

Lymphatic absorption of α-linolenic acid in rats fed flaxseed oil-based emulsion.

The bioavailability of α-linolenic acid (ALA) from flaxseed oil in an emulsified form v. a non-emulsified form was investigated by using two complementary approaches: the first one dealt with the characterisation of the flaxseed oil emulsion in in vitro gastrointestinal-like conditions; the second one compared the intestinal absorption of ALA in rats fed the two forms of the oil. The in vitro study on emulsified flaxseed oil showed that decreasing the pH from 7·3 to 1·5 at the physiological temperature (37°C) induced instantaneous oil globule coalescence. Some phase separation was observed under acidic conditions that vanished after further neutralisation. The lecithin used to stabilise the emulsions inhibited TAG hydrolysis by pancreatic lipase. In contrast, lipid solubilisation by bile salts (after lipase and phospholipase hydrolysis) was favoured by preliminary oil emulsification. The in vivo absorption of ALA in thoracic lymph duct-cannulated rats fed flaxseed oil, emulsified or non-emulsified, was quantified. Oil emulsification significantly favoured the rate and extent of ALA recovery as measured by the maximum ALA concentration in the lymph (Cmax = 14 mg/ml at 3 h in the emulsion group v. 9 mg/ml at 5 h in the oil group; P < 0·05). Likewise, the area under the curve of the kinetics was significantly higher in the emulsion group (48 mg × h/ml for rats fed emulsion v. 26 mg × h/ml for rats fed oil; P < 0·05). On the whole, ALA bioavailability was improved with flaxseed oil ingested in an emulsified state. Data obtained from the in vitro studies helped to partly interpret the physiological results.

Influence of ionic complexation on release rate profiles from multiple water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions.

Water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsions were prepared, and the kinetics of release of magnesium ions from the internal to the external water phase was followed. Different chelating agents (phosvitin and gluconate) were used to bind magnesium within the prospect of improving the ion retention in the internal aqueous droplets. Magnesium release was monitored for 1 month of storage, for each formulation, with and without chelation, at two storage temperatures (4 and 25 degrees C). Leakage occurred without film rupturing (coalescence) and was mainly due to entropically driven diffusion/permeation phenomena. The experimental results revealed a clear correlation between the effectiveness of chelating agents to delay the delivery and their binding capacity characterized by the equilibrium affinity constant. The kinetic data (percent released versus time curves) were interpreted within the framework of a kinetic model based on diffusion and taking into account magnesium chelation.

Influence of the oil globule fraction on the release rate profiles from multiple W/O/W emulsions.

Water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsions were prepared and the kinetics of release of magnesium ions from the internal to the external water phase was investigated as a function of the formulation and the globule volume fraction. All the emulsions were formulated using the same surface-active species (polyglycerol polyricinoleate and sodium caseinate). Also, the internal droplet and oil globule diameters were almost identical for all the systems. Two types of W/O/W emulsions were prepared based either on a synthetic oil (miglyol) or on an edible oil (olive oil). The globule volume fraction varied from 11% to 72%. At constant temperature (T=25 degrees C) and irrespective of the oil type, the percentage of magnesium released was lowered by increasing the globule fraction. In all cases, magnesium leakage occurred without film rupturing (no coalescence). Thus, the experimental data were interpreted within the frame of a model based on diffusion. The rate of release was determined by the permeation coefficient of magnesium across the oil phase and by the binding (chelation) of magnesium by caseinate molecules. The data could be adequately fitted by considering a time-dependant permeation coefficient. The better retention of magnesium at high globule fractions could account for two distinct phenomena: (i) the reduction of the relative volume of the outer phase, and (ii) the attenuation of the permeation coefficient over time induced by interfacial magnesium binding, all the more important than the globule fraction increased.