Controlled volatile release from β-sitosterol-based oleogels based on different self-assembly mechanisms.

Area of Science:

• Food science and material science
• Colloid and interface science

Background:

• Oleogels are structured fats with potential applications in food and pharmaceuticals.
• Controlling the release of volatile compounds is crucial for product quality and efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of self-assembly mechanisms of beta-sitosterol-based oleogels on volatile compound release.
• To correlate oleogel microstructure with volatile compound retention.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of three beta-sitosterol-based oleogels: SO (beta-sitosterol + gamma-oryzanol), SL (beta-sitosterol + lecithin), and SM (beta-sitosterol + monostearate).
• Characterization using microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to analyze microstructure.
• Assessment of oil binding capacity (OBC), complex modulus (G*), and apparent viscosity.
• Dynamic and static headspace analyses to quantify volatile compound release.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in microstructure were observed among SO, SL, and SM oleogels due to varying self-assembly mechanisms.
• SO oleogels demonstrated the highest OBC, G*, and apparent viscosity, indicating superior structural strength.
• Oleogel network structure significantly impacted volatile component release, with SO exhibiting the strongest retention, followed by SL and SM.

Conclusions:

• The self-assembly mechanism dictates the microstructure and structural strength of beta-sitosterol oleogels.
• Oleogel structural properties are key determinants of volatile compound release kinetics.
• Beta-sitosterol-based oleogels offer tunable platforms for developing controlled release systems for volatile compounds.