title: Thermal and UV stability of β-carotene dissolved in peppermint oil microemulsified by sunflower lecithin and Tween 20 blend.
abstract: Microemulsions are suitable for simultaneous delivery of flavour oils and lipophilic bioactive compounds in transparent beverages. In the present study, the feasibility of delivering β-carotene in microemulsions formulated with peppermint oil and a blend of Tween® 20 and various amounts of sunflower lecithin was investigated. The poorly water- and oil-soluble β-carotene was dissolved in the transparent microemulsions that had particles smaller than 10nm and were stable during ambient storage for 65 d. The inclusion of β-carotene did not change the flow-behaviour and Newtonian viscosity. The degradation of β-carotene in microemulsions during ambient storage, ultraviolet radiation, and thermal treatments at 60 and 80 °C followed first order kinetics and was greatly suppressed when compared to the solution control. The antioxidant potential of peppermint oil and a greater content of lecithin in microemulsions enabled the better protection of β-carotene. The studied microemulsions may find various applications in manufacturing transparent beverages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States.
authors.forename: Huaiqiong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States. Electronic address: qzhong@utk.edu.
authors.forename: Qixin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants; D004655:Emulsions; D006368:Helianthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D054709:Lecithins; D036142:Mentha piperita; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D011136:Polysorbates / Q000737:chemistry*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004655:Emulsions; D054709:Lecithins; D010938:Plant Oils; D011136:Polysorbates; D019207:beta Carotene; C015424:peppermint oil
keywords: Microemulsion; Peppermint oil; Stability; Sunflower lecithin; Tween® 20; β-Carotene