State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, PR China.
Jiangxi Danxia Biological Technology Co. Ltd, Yingtan, PR China.
J Sci Food Agric. 2022 Mar 30;102(5):2070-2079. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.11546. Epub 2021 Oct 7.
Norbixin, a carotenoid extracted from annatto seeds, is widely utilized as a natural pigment in foods, cosmetics and medicines. Its water solubility is relatively high under neutral or alkaline conditions but low under acidic conditions, which limits its application in some food products.
This problem was overcome by utilizing liposomes to encapsulate the carotenoids so that they could be easily dispersed within acidic solutions. The norbixin was loaded into the liposomes using the pH-driven method. Liposomes were produced by passing aqueous phospholipid dispersions through a microfluidizer under high pressure. Norbixin was then added to the liposome dispersions at pH 7.0 and then driven into the hydrophobic domains of the phospholipid bilayers by acidifying the system. Measurements of the encapsulation efficiency showed that the norbixin was successfully loaded into the liposomes using the pH-driven method. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the norbixin was in an amorphous state after incorporation into the liposomes. Encapsulation of norbixin within the liposomes was also shown to increase its water dispersibility and chemical stability under acidic pH conditions.
The pH-driven method therefore provides a useful means of increasing the application of this bioactive carotenoid within functional foods and other products. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
胭脂树橙，从胭脂树种子中提取的类胡萝卜素，广泛用作食品、化妆品和药品中的天然色素。在中性或碱性条件下，其水溶性相对较高，但在酸性条件下较低，这限制了它在一些食品中的应用。
通过利用脂质体来包封类胡萝卜素，从而可以使它们在酸性溶液中容易分散，解决了这个问题。采用 pH 驱动法将胭脂树橙载入脂质体。通过在高压下将水相磷脂分散体通过微流控装置传递来制备脂质体。然后将胭脂树橙在 pH 7.0 下加入脂质体分散体中，然后通过酸化体系将其驱入磷脂双层的疏水区。包封效率的测量表明，胭脂树橙成功地通过 pH 驱动法载入脂质体。X 射线衍射分析表明，胭脂树橙在掺入脂质体后处于无定形状态。在酸性 pH 条件下，将胭脂树橙包封在脂质体中也增加了其水分散性和化学稳定性。
因此，pH 驱动法为在功能性食品和其他产品中增加这种生物活性类胡萝卜素的应用提供了一种有用的手段。 © 2021 化学工业协会。
