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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

In vitro Digestion of Emulsions in a Single Droplet via Multi Subphase Exchange of Simulated Gastrointestinal Fluids
Published on: November 18, 2022
Do food microemulsions and dietary mixed micelles interact?
Shoshana Rozner1, Deborah E Shalev, Alexander I Shames
1Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Dietary mixed micelles (DMM) and microemulsions (ME) interact to form new ME-DMM mixed micelles. This interaction provides a potential pathway for delivering water-insoluble molecules in the small intestine.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Biophysical Chemistry
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Microemulsions (ME) are utilized as delivery vehicles for water-insoluble molecules.
- Understanding the interaction between ME and dietary mixed micelles (DMM) in the small intestine is crucial for effective delivery.
- The precise mechanism of interaction, whether through new micelle formation or alternative pathways, requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between microemulsions (ME) and dietary mixed micelles (DMM) at various weight ratios.
- To characterize the structural and dynamic changes occurring upon mixing ME and DMM systems.
- To determine if ME and DMM interact to form new mixed micelles, influencing the delivery of solubilized molecules.
Main Methods:
- Systems were analyzed using various physical techniques including ATR-FTIR, EPR, PGSE-NMR, NOESY-NMR, DLS, cryo-TEM, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer.
- ME and DMM were mixed at different weight ratios to simulate intestinal conditions.
- Physical properties such as conformational order, microviscosity, diffusivity, droplet size, and molecular interactions were measured.
Main Results:
- Increased DMM concentration in ME/DMM mixtures led to altered acyl chain order and perturbed headgroup interactions (ATR-FTIR).
- Microviscosity significantly increased, and molecular diffusivities of both surfactant and bile salt molecules were modified (EPR, PGSE-NMR).
- Formation of new ME-DMM mixed micelles was evidenced by changes in droplet size, density, intramolecular interactions, and FRET measurements (DLS, cryo-TEM, NOESY-NMR, FRET).
Conclusions:
- Dietary mixed micelles (DMM) and microemulsions (ME) interact to form novel ME-DMM mixed micelles.
- This interaction represents a significant pathway for the delivery of water-insoluble molecules.
- The findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of delivery systems within the gastrointestinal environment.
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