Tao Han, Ding Wei, Fang Meng-Jia, Qian Hao, Cai Wan-Hao, Wang Hui-Li
Engineering Research Center of Bio-Process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei 230009, China.
School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
Foods. 2025 Jan 1;14(1):82. doi: 10.3390/foods14010082.
Although eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as a functional fatty acid has shown significant benefits for human health, its susceptibility to oxidation significantly limits its application. In this study, we developed a nanoemulsion of the lactoferrin (LTF)-EPA complex and conducted a thorough investigation of its macro- and molecular properties. By characterizing the emulsion with different LTF concentrations, we found that 1.0% LTF formed the most stable complex with EPA, which benefited the formation and stability of the emulsion against storage and freezing/thawing treatment. As the foundation block of the emulsion structure, the binding mechanism and the entire dynamic reaction process of the complex have been fully revealed through various molecular simulations and theoretical calculations. This study establishes a comprehensive picture of the LTF-EPA complex across multiple length scales, providing new insights for further applications and productions of its emulsion.
尽管二十碳五烯酸（EPA）作为一种功能性脂肪酸已显示出对人类健康有显著益处，但其易氧化性极大地限制了它的应用。在本研究中，我们制备了乳铁蛋白（LTF）-EPA复合物的纳米乳液，并对其宏观和分子性质进行了全面研究。通过对不同LTF浓度的乳液进行表征，我们发现1.0%的LTF与EPA形成了最稳定的复合物，这有利于乳液在储存以及冻融处理过程中的形成与稳定性。作为乳液结构的基础单元，通过各种分子模拟和理论计算，已充分揭示了该复合物的结合机制及整个动态反应过程。本研究在多个长度尺度上建立了LTF-EPA复合物的全貌，为其乳液的进一步应用和生产提供了新的见解。
