Improving vitamin D₃ stability to environmental and processing stresses using mixed micelles.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Vitamin-D deficiency is a widespread global health concern.
• Vitamin-D's poor stability limits its effective incorporation into food products.
• Mixed micelles (MM) offer a potential solution for enhancing vitamin-D bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the stability of mixed micelles (MM) under various food processing conditions.
• To assess the protective capacity of MM for vitamin-D against degradation factors.
• To determine the efficacy of MM in preserving vitamin-D during storage.

Main Methods:

• Mixed micelles (MM) were subjected to high shear rates (8,000-20,500 rpm) and high-pressure processing (600 MPa, 120 sec).
• Vitamin-D stability within MM was tested after exposure to UV-C light, broad-spectrum light, and heat treatment.
• MM suspensions containing vitamin-D were stored under refrigeration and freezer conditions for four weeks.

Main Results:

• Mixed micelle size remained stable (4.1-4.5 nm) after high shear and high-pressure processing.
• MM significantly improved vitamin-D retention when exposed to UV-C light, visible light, and heat.
• Vitamin-D within MM suspensions showed excellent stability over a four-week storage period at both refrigeration and freezer temperatures.

Conclusions:

• Mixed micelles demonstrate robust stability when exposed to common food processing techniques.
• MM effectively protect vitamin-D from degradation caused by light and heat.
• MM show significant potential as a delivery system for vitamin-D fortification in food products, improving stability during processing and storage.