| As an oil-soluble component,N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(n-3 PUFA)plays a significant role in the development of the human brain and cardiovascular disease.Α-linolenic acid(ALA)is one of the key components of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.The application ofα-linolenic acid(ALA)in food industry is limited due to its poor water solubility and antioxidant stability.This study concentrates on developing ALA-loaded microemulsion(ALA-ME)to enhance its soluble and antioxidant capacity.The formulation of microemulsion was investigated based on pseudoternary phase diagrams.The ALA-MEs were characterized by particle size,electrical conductivity,phase inversion temperature(PIT),viscosity and transmission electron microscope(TEM).The micro-structure of ALA-MEs was probed with polarizing microscope and nuclear magnetic resonance(~1H-NMR).Finally,the formation and phase behavior of microemulsion system were simulated by dissipative particle dynamics(DPD).The results proved ALA-MEs were spheroidal droplets with 20~40nm diameter and kept stable in long-term storage.A structural transformation from water in oil(W/O)to oil in water(O/W)microemulsion occurs from electrical conductivity determination.The antioxidant evaluation demonstrated antioxidant capacity of ALA in microemulsion was enhanced 70%ompared with that of ALA in oil solution.The ~1H-NMR results revealed encapsulated position of ALA located in the core area of microemulsion.In the DPD simulation,the phase equilibrium of the microemulsion system showed a transition from the water-in-oil to the double-continuous structure to the oil-in-water structure,which was in agreement with the experimental results. |
