Abstract:
Abstract:Both linseed oil and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) have the disadvantages of low solubility in water, poor stability, andlow bioavailability. In this study, linseed oil and CoQ10 were simultaneously dissolved and encapsulated in emulsions, andthen dispersed in an aqueous matrix toimprove their stability, solubility, and bioavailability. At the same time, due to the strongantioxidant effect of CoQ10, linseed oil can be further protected from oxidation. Linseed oil and CoQ10 co-loaded emulsionswere prepared by high pressure homogenization technology using gum arabic as an emulsifier. The physical and chemicalproperties of the prepared emulsions were characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, in vitrosimulated digestion, in vitro release, dilution stability, freeze-thaw stability, ionic strength stability, photostability and acceler‐ated oxidation stability. The results showed that the prepared emulsions were uniformly dispersed spherical droplets with anaverage particle size of (284 ± 5.6) nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.112 ± 0.025. The loading and entrapment efficien‐cy of CoQ10 in the prepared emulsions were 0.392% ± 0.008% and 97.08% ± 1.45% respectively, and no linseed oil floatingon the emulsion liquid surface was observed. The particle size of the prepared emulsion in the simulated stomach digestion didnot change significantly, indicating that the structure of the emulsion did not damage, and it could resist the environment ofgastric acid. The particle size of the prepared emulsions increased significantly in the simulated intestinal digestion, indicatingthat the structure of the emulsion had been destroyed and the emulsions were digested and degraded in the simulated intestinedigestive phase. Compared with linseed oil and CoQ10 suspensions, the digestibility rate of linseed oil and the bio-availabilityof CoQ10 in emulsions were significantly improved. The in vitro release experiment showed that CoQ10 encapsulated in thedroplets of the emulsions could slow down the release rate of CoQ10 and achieve a sustained release effect, which would even‐tually improve the oral bioavailability of CoQ10. The dilution stability displayed that the particle size did not change signifi‐cantly after the emulsions diluted 100-250 times and the emulsionswere relatively stable. Freezing for 2 hours had little effecton the stability of the emulsions. Over 2 hours, the particle size and PDI of the emulsions increased slightly, but still stable. Nostratification and flocculation were observed. Na+ and Ca2+ caused a decrease in the zeta potential of the emulsion, resulting ina decrease in the absolute value of its surface charge, which cannot form a sufficient electrostatic repulsive force and eventual‐ly had a greater impact on the stability of the prepared emulsion. The photostability revealed that when CoQ10 was encapsulat‐ed in emulsions, CoQ10 was less affected by light degradation and had better light stability. The form of CoQ10 in emulsionscan obviously improve the light stability of CoQ10. The accelerated oxidative stability experiment showed that, due to the anti‐oxidant effect of coenzyme Q10, the CoQ10 in linseed oil and CoQ10 co-loaded emulsions had better oxidative stability. Thisstudy is helpful to solve the problems related to linseed oil and CoQ10, better apply them to functional foods, and provide con‐sumers with green and healthy functional foods.