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A natural antioxidant-emulsifier was developed from oil pressed Pistacia lentiscus fruit and tested for oil-in-water nanoemulsions ?-carotene encapsulation. Five extracts were prepared, characterized and screened for their emulsifying capacity. The extract prepared with 75% ethanol (Ex-75%), displayed the highest antioxidant capacity (EC50 = 4.6 +- 0.2�mg/mL), which was significantly correlated with saponin and polyphenol contents (F = 22.30; P-value = 0.018). Under the same high-pressure homogenization conditions, Pistacia Ex-75% and the synthetic emulsifier (Tween-80) produced a comparable physically stable ?-carotene-rich nanoemulsions with d4,3 of 163.4 +- 2.5 and 158.4 +- 4�nm, respectively, and a similar monomodal size distribution following 90�days of storage at 25� C. However, Pistacia Ex-75% markedly improved the chemical stability of encapsulated ?-carotene during the storage period at both 5 and 25� C. These results suggest that Pistacia Ex-75% is effective as an antioxidant-emulsifier and could be used as a dual-purpose functional ingredient in emulsified products. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. This work was carried out in the framework of the contract program project for Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses at Center of Biotechnology of Sfax supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research-Tunisia (LR15CBS01) and the JICA-JST Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) Project: "Valorization of Bio-resources based on Scientific Evidence in Semi- and Arid Land for Creation of New Industry" (grant number: JPMJSA1506). Authors are grateful for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) Tunisia and Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA) and Japan Science and Technology agency (JST) for the financial support. Authors would like to thank Mr. Sofian Boukataya for supplying the Pistacia lentiscus fruits and helping with their pressing. Scopus

In this study, we evaluated the caprylic acid-based oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion-assisted extraction of lycopene from tomatoes. Emulsion-assisted extraction was performed using two types of micron-sized O/W emulsions: (a) O/W emulsion with absence or (b) presence of 0.1% (w/w) of Tween 20 emulsifier. This green extraction technique was compared with the conventional method using soybean oil, tributyrin, and caprylic acid. The results show that caprylic acid, a green solvent, is significantly more effective for lycopene recovery than soybean oil and tributyrin. In the absence of an emulsifier, caprylic acid-based O/W emulsion significantly improved the lycopene content by 14.69 mg/g, corresponding to a 98.59% extraction efficiency at 50 ˚C. The capability of the proposed approach to lycopene recovery was explained in terms of lycopene affinity, the ability to swell the tomato cell, and some other standard parameters. In addition, caprylic acid has the significant advantage that once developed with the extracted lycopene can be used directly as a food additive.

Bagasse, a by‐product from raw sugar factories, is conventionally burned for energy production. In this study, bagasse extracts from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) treatment (160 °C, 1 MPa and 30 min) with a carbohydrate content of 510.3 mg g⁻¹ and 0.5 mg g⁻¹ of total phenols were applied as emulsifiers in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions. Bagasse extracts from HTL (0.5–4 wt%) lowered the interfacial tension between oil–water interphase from 19.8 to 14.0 mN m⁻¹, owing possibly to the surface‐active hydrophilic carbohydrate‐hydrophobic lignin complexes in the extracts (lignin content: 7.1% w/w). Emulsions stabilised by bagasse extracts from HTL with average droplet size, dₐᵥ of 0.79 μm were comparable with gum arabic (GA), dₐᵥ of 2.24 μm after 11 days at 25 °C. Bagasse extracts containing biopolymers have the potential for industrial applications involving emulsion systems; therefore, HTL treatment of bagasse without any solvents can be regarded as an effective tool for producing natural emulsifiers.

In this study, seaweed polysaccharides (alginate and carrageenan) were modified with dodecenylsuccinic anhydride (DSA), and their stabilising properties in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsion system were evaluated. The physicochemical characteristics were determined by droplet size, interfacial tension and ζ‐potential and structurally verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Both CRG‐DSA and ALG‐DSA applied in O/W emulsion system exhibited smaller droplet sizes over the increasing concentration and were more stable during storage than native ones. The ζ‐potential of DSA‐modified seaweed polysaccharides has more negative charge compared with their native forms, owing to the additional carboxyl groups from modification reaction. In addition, DSA‐modified seaweed polysaccharides decreased the interfacial tension at soybean oil–water interface from 23.1 and 23.9 mN m⁻¹ to 14.2 and 13.6 mN m⁻¹, respectively. The successful modification reaction was confirmed by FTIR analysis. This study demonstrated that DSA‐modified seaweed polysaccharides may serve as prospective emulsifiers in food, pharmaceutical and other industrial fields.

Concentrated γ-Oryzanol nanodispersions were fabricated using milli-Q water (no emulsifier) or 0.1% (w/w) polysorbate 80 (T80), modified lecithin (ML) or sodium caseinate (SC) as emulsifiers. The freshly prepared nanodispersions had comparable particle diameter (118 to 157 nm), γ-Oryzanol concentration (1.75 to 1.92 mg mL

Background Hair follicle undergoes a growth cycle under the regulation of dermal papilla cells. Due to their enormous roles, these fibroblast cells have been used in various in vitro studies as a screening model to evaluate the effect of hair growth regulating agents. Objective In the current study, we aim to check the hair growth potential effect of Argan press cake (APC) extracted using 50 or 80 % aqueous ethanol on human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) and to determine the molecular mechanism. Methods APC were applied to HFDPCs, then cell proliferation assays, mitochondrial biogenesis assay, and oxidative stress assay were assessed. DNA microarray was performed from the cells treated with our samples and minoxidil. Validation of the results was done using Quantitative Real-Time PCR with primers for hair-growth related genes. GC/MS analysis was used to determine the compounds contained in APC 50 and 80 %. Results APC enhanced cell proliferation along with the stimulation of the ATP content. Additionally, APC had an anti-oxidant activity against H2O2 mediated oxidative stress preventing dermal papilla cell senescence. Consistent with this, global gene profiling analysis showed an activation of hair growth-related pathway, and a downregulation of inflammation- and oxidative stress-related genes by APC extracts. GC/MS analysis revealed that these extracts contained pure fatty acids, derived sugar chains, and pure compounds including tocopherols, squalene, and spinasterol. Conclusion Taken together, here we showed that APC extracts had an effect on stimulating hair growth while inhibiting the inflammation and the oxidative stress of HFDPCs and thus can potentially contribute to an anti-hair loss drug development.

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) from Argan (Argania spinosa) shells was prepared by chemical purification of cellulose, then mechanical disintegration via high pressure homogenization was performed to isolate fibrils of cellulose. Chemical characterization of raw argan shell (AS-R), purified cellulose (AS-C), and argan shell MFC (AS-MFC) included FT-IR, XRD and NMR. Morphological characterization of AS-MFC was assessed using TEM. Next, the use of AS-MFC as oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilizer was investigated. The particle concentration was observed to affect the long-term stability of the emulsions; high concentrations (0.5-1 % w/w) of AS-MFC resulted in emulsions that were thermodynamically stable during 15 days of storage, which was demonstrated by the droplet's size evolution. The suitable oil concentration for a maximum volume of emulsion using 1 % w/w AS-MFC was demonstrated. The results show that AS-MFC is able to stabilize 70 % w/w MCT oil without visual phase separation. Finally, CLSM shows the adsorption of AS-MFC at the oil-water interface and the formation of a 3D network surrounding oil droplets, confirming Pickering emulsion formation and stabilization.

This study compared the interfacial and emulsifying properties of purified saponins and non-purified saponin-rich extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, and highlighted potential mechanisms by which crude surface-active compositions, such as liquorice root extract (LRE), act as emulsifiers. LRE presented different fluid properties, in comparison to purified glycyrrhizin (PG), at equivalent glycyrrhizin concentrations. Particularly, it exhibited limited glycyrrhizin fibrilization at pH pKa and efficiently reduced the interfacial tension at the soybean oil/water interface, independently of pH. LRE also presented better emulsification properties, in comparison to PG samples. Emulsions prepared using LRE had lower droplet sizes when using higher oil mass fractions or lower homogenization pressures, which was attributed to 2 main factors: (i) efficient adsorption of glycyrrhizin molecules at relatively low interfacial curvatures, thus accelerating oil phase breakup during homogenization and (ii) sufficient coverage of newly generated droplets due to adsorption of residual surface-active components (e.g. proteins), thus minimizing droplet coalescence.

Alpha-terpineol (α-TOH) is a promising monoterpenoid detaining several biological activities. However, as a volatile molecule, the incorporation of α-TOH within formulated products poses several challenges related to its stability. In this sense, nanoencapsulation works as a key technology to protect the bioactivity of low molecular weight oils, like α-TOH, against environmental stresses (heat, light, and moisture), mitigating their susceptibility to degradation (oxidation and volatilization). Physical properties of encapsulated flavor/essential oil have been extensively reported, whereas there is a lack in the literature regarding their chemical stability, which is usually the main purpose of encapsulation. Thus, in this study, the physicochemical stability of the formulated oil-in-water nanoemulsion loaded with α-TOH stabilized with Quillaja saponins (QSs) as a natural emulsifier (α-TOH-QSs-NE) were tracked in a long-term (up to 280th day). Along with time, mean droplet diameter (MDD) and turbidity were used as a reference for physical parameters; while the chemical stability was monitored using gas chromatography analysis to quantify the mark content of α-TOH into the NE. Results indicated that α-TOH-QSs-NE was successfully formulated with a high-load amount of α-TOH (90 mg mL

The formulation, physicochemical stability and bioaccessibility of astaxanthin (AST) loaded oil-in-water nanoemulsions fabricated using gypenosides (GPs) as natural emulsifiers was investigated and compared with a synthetic emulsifier (Tween 20) that is commonly applied in food industry. GPs were capable of producing nanoemulsions with a small volume mean diameter (d4,3 = 125 ± 2 nm), which was similar to those prepared using Tween 20 (d4,3 = 145 ± 6 nm) under the same high-pressure homogenization conditions. GPs-stabilized nanoemulsions were stable against droplet growth over a range of pH (6–8) and thermal treatments (60–120 °C). Conversely, instability occurred under acidic (pH 3–5) and high ionic strength (25–100 mM CaCl2) conditions. In comparison with Tween 20, GPs were more effective at inhibiting AST from degradation during 30 days of storage at both 5 and 25 °C. However, GPs led to lower lipid digestion and AST bioaccessibility from nanoemulsions than did Tween 20.

In this study, we formulated and stabilized oil-in-water nanoemulsions using a crude extract from argan press-cake as sole emulsifier. Various extracts from argan press-cake were prepared in order to select the most surface-active one(s) foreseeing emulsions preparation. Fifty percent (v/v) ethanolic extract reduced the interfacial tension to a minimum value at both MCT oil and soybean oil interfaces (12.7 and 10.5 mN m-1 respectively). This extract was also effective at producing fine emulsions with small droplet sizes (d3,2 < 115 nm) and good physical stability using different oils such as soybean oil, MCT oil and fish oil and at conventional homogenization conditions (100 MPa for 4 passes). On the other hand, the emulsions were very sensitive to NaCl addition (≥25 mM) and to acidic pH (

Acai berry is the fruit of an Amazonian palm tree and rich in anthocyanins (ACNs). Scientific studies have proven the health benefits of acai berry and declared this fruit as “super fruit”. ACNs have high antioxidant activities, but they are unstable and can easily deteriorate during food processing. In order to protect ACNs and increase their applicability, food-grade water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions were successfully formulated with different concentrations of acai berry extracts (AEs). The formulated W/O nanoemulsions were relatively stable, with no phase separation after 30 days of storage. The average droplet size varied between 146.8 and 814.8 nm, with higher values corresponding to samples without AEs. All W/O nanoemulsion samples exhibited antioxidant activity and high retention rates of polyphenols after 30 days of storage. ACN retention followed first-order kinetics, with high protection of ACNs observed in emulsified samples. 2% AE encapsulated in a 30 wt% W/O nanoemulsion had an estimated half-life of 385 days. The results indicate that stable nanoemulsion systems with high ACN protection can be produced with possible applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Concentrated γ-Oryzanol nanodispersions were prepared by solvent displacement method, using purified water (no emulsifier) or aqueous solutions of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (T80), modified lecithin (ML) or sodium caseinate (SC) as emulsifiers. The nanodispersions had comparable particle sizes (126–157 nm), particle size distribution (monomodal), polydispersity index (˂ 0.1), γ-Oryzanol concentration (1.69–1.82 mg mL−1) and encapsulation efficiency (89.39–98.78%) at optimized processing conditions. Moreover, they had negative ζ-potentials, independently of the composition of the aqueous phase added, indicating that both γ-Oryzanol and emulsifier contributed to nanoparticles formation. Comprehensively, emulsifier-free nanodispersions had a ζ-potential of −46.7 mV, originating potentially from the dissociation of hydroxyl groups of caffeic acid and/or ferulic acid on γ-Oryzanol structures. ML and SC provided negative charges as expected, while T80 stabilized nanoparticles were also charged (−26.0 mV) despite the absence of ionizable groups on polysorbate structure. These results feature the self-stabilizing properties of γ-Oryzanol in concentrated colloidal systems, such as nanodispersions, and present a novel approach for its encapsulation in caloric-free formulations.

The surface-active and emulsifying properties of crude aqueous ethanolic extracts from untreated olive oil cake (OOC) were investigated. OOC extracts contained important concentrations of surface-active components including proteins, saponins and polyphenols (1.2–2.8%, 7.8–9.5% and 0.7–4.5% (w/w), respectively) and reduced the interfacial tension by up to 46% (14.0 ± 0.2 mN m−1) at the oil–water interface. The emulsifying ability of OOC extracts was not correlated, however, with their interfacial activity or surface-active composition. Eighty percent aqueous ethanol extract produced the most stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions by high-pressure homogenization. The emulsions had average volume mean droplet diameters of approximately 0.4 µm and negative ζ-potentials of about -45 mV, and were stable for up to 1 month of storage at 5, 25 and 50 °C. They were sensitive, however, to acidic pH conditions (&lt, 5) and NaCl addition (≥25 mM), indicating that the main stabilization mechanism is electrostatic due to the presence of surface-active compounds with ionizable groups, such as saponins.

This study evaluated the stability characteristics of oil-in-water emulsions prepared using purified glycyrrhizin (PG) or a non-purified glycyrrhizin-rich extract from liquorice root (LRE) at equivalent glycyrrhizin concentrations (0.01−0.1%, w/w). PG-stabilized emulsions were sensitive to acidic pH ( 60 °C). These results indicate that the interfacial composition of the two studied systems was different although having similar glycyrrhizin concentration. PG-stabilized droplets consist of glycyrrhizin interfacial layers that are negatively charged and depend exclusively on electrostatic repulsion. LRE-stabilized droplets consist of complex interfacial layers due to the adsorption of various surface-active components, including glycyrrhizin and proteins.

The industrial and small-scale processing of plant-based food materials is associated with by-products that may have a negative impact on the environment but could add value to bread-based products. The bioactivity of plant-based food by-products, their impact on the properties of functional bread, and their bioavailability/bioaccessibility leading to potential health effects when consumed was reviewed. Plant-based food by-products which may be added to bread include rice bran, wheat bran, corn bran, grape pomace/seed extract, tomato seed/skin, and artichoke stems/leaves. These by-products contain high concentrations of bioactive compounds, including phenolics, bioactive peptides, and arabinoxylan. Pre-treatment procedures, including fermentation and thermal processing, impact the properties of plant-based by-products. In most cases, bread formulated with flour from plant-based by-products demonstrated increased fibre and bioactive compound contents. In terms of the sensory and nutritional acceptability of bread, formulations with an average of 5% flour from plant-based by-products produced bread with acceptable sensory properties. Bread enriched with plant-based by-products demonstrated enhanced bioavailability and bioaccessibility and favourable bioactive properties in human blood, although long-term studies are warranted. There is a need to investigate the bioactive properties of other underutilised plant-based by-products and their potential application in bread as a sustainable approach towards improving food and nutrition security.

This study evaluated the emulsifying performance of five aqueous-ethanolic argan shell (Argania spinosa L.) crude extracts. We aim to compare crude extracts originating from the same raw material to produce stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. First, surface-active compounds (i.e. saponins, proteins, and polyphenols) were quantified and interfacial tension against soybean oil of the extracts was assessed. We report here that despite the variation in the composition, the crude extracts were capable of similarly reducing the interfacial tension at the soybean oil/water interface to an average of 11 mN/m. Nevertheless, when comparing oil droplets formation, the volume mean droplet size varied within extracts 200 nm ≤ d4,3 ≤ 440 nm. The emulsions were stable for 30 days at two temperatures 5 ℃ and 25 ℃ with high negative charge −46.3 mV ≤ ζ -potential ≤ −51.5 mV. The stabilization mechanism is attributed to the synergic effect of surface-active compounds found in the bulk phase. The whole composition of crude extracts contributes to the overall emulsifying performance. Besides, protein and proteins-saponins complexes, adsorbing to the interface, provide electrostatic and steric repulsions that enhance the stability of emulsions.

In this study, we evaluated the performance of a mildly derived extract from argan by-products in microchannel emulsification (MCE). Our aim is to produce stable monodisperse O/W emulsions using this extract as a sole emulsifier. Preliminary investigations about the characteristics of argan extract indicated the potential interaction between surface-active components (i.e. saponins, proteins), in bulk phase prior to adsorption at the oil/water interface, resulting in the formation of biogenic complexes with strong interfacial properties. This is important for successful MCE as this technique depends exclusively on dynamic interfacial tension reduction for droplet formation. Nevertheless, upon performance of emulsification experiments, we also found that the complex composition of this extract could counteract its emulsifying efficiency, by creating a hydrophobic, or slightly hydrophilic, layer on the MC array plate surface. This resulted in unsuccessful emulsification using short MCs but did not affect the emulsification behavior in longer ones. Using longer MCs, we could produce stable monodisperse O/W emulsions, with similar droplet size (∼ 36 μm) and droplet size distribution (Relative span factor